Complex Touch
by Keeperofthemoon0
Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.
1. Chapter One

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter One_

_Going Away_

Even in the middle of July, Ginny found herself wearing the jumper that her mum had made her for Christmas the year before. There was a cold draft coming in from the window, even though Ginny had made sure it was shut securely. This house really did have to be cleaned up a bit.

It was too cold to go to sleep, Ginny realized after laying in her bed for two hours. There was nothing to do though. Instead of being at the Burrow for the summer, where she could walk around her home freely and even go outside to sit in the garden, she was at number 12 Grimmauld Place.

So many things had happened in one year's time. Cedric Diggory had been killed, Lord Voldemort had risen once again and Ginny had gotten over Harry. Because of the first two reasons the Weasley family and several other witches and wizards found themselves at Grimmauld Place.

And it was terrible here. You always had to watch where you went, for the place use to be inhabited by dark wizards who had set up many things that could easily cause you harm. Portraits frightened the life out of you by suddenly screaming and there were house-elf heads hanging on the walls, as though they were trophies.

Overall Ginny didn't like it at all. But what could she do? With Lord Voldemort hanging around the wizarding world, whom happened to be in denial about the whole business, the Burrow was unsafe. The fact that the Weasley family was known for fighting beside Albus Dumbledore did not help matters. And that's why the Weasleys were here.

The fact that the meetings for the Order of the Phoenix happened to be here could also have something to do with it. Ginny's lips quirked into a smile as she sat up in her bed, placing her feet on the cold floor.

Ever since Ginny had arrived here she had met so many new people. There was one witch, Tonks, who could change her appearance to whatever she desired whenever she wanted. Mundungus Fletcher was one of the strangest, trickiest people Ginny had ever met. He was also a very filthy thief. Then there was Sirius Black, who had been on the run for over a year, all for Harry.

Sirius… he was different then the rest of the odd wizards and witches Ginny met, she had to admit. After spending twelve years in Azkaban and living through the Dementors' evil ways, he still managed to hold so much life. He managed to smile and-

Ginny blinked, looking around and realizing she had walked out of her bedroom, down the stairs and into the kitchen. Her mum always did say her thoughts carried her places. Shaking her head, Ginny walked towards the pantry.

In only a month, Ginny would be going to Hogwarts for her fourth year. Only her fourth year… It felt like a million years that she'd been there so far; she felt like she should be graduating any day now. Ginny grinned at the thought, grabbing a bag of sweets that her mum had tried to hide.

She wondered what it would be like now that she had a boyfriend, Michael. Actually, now that she thought about it, she should probably get around to Owling him before he dumped her because of lack of communication.

Opening the bag of sweets, Ginny took a seat at the kitchen table. Just as she was about to pop one into her mouth, though, a man stumbled into the kitchen.

"I'm going to smell like bloody mice for the rest of my life-"

He stopped mumbling, though, when he caught sight of Ginny. Ginny grinned; her eyes twinkling a bit as Sirius unconsciously straightened himself out.

"Why are you awake?" Sirius questioned, eyeing her and the bag of sweets narrowly.

"Oh, you know, I had to finish off my list of things to do;" Ginny paused, placing a sweet into her mouth. "take over the world, steal candy from babies…"

"Ah, I remember those days," Sirius said.

"I'm sure you do," Ginny responded, snorting lightly.

Sirius rolled his eyes, grinning slightly, as he walked over to the counter. Reaching up, he pulled out a mug from one of the cabinets, about to make tea.

"Sirius?" Ginny called to him, her voice suddenly soft.

He filled his cup with water from the sink before turning to look at her, one of his eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Want some tea?" He asked, his hand reaching back up to the cabinet.

Ginny shook her head.

"Oh… what is it then?"

He seemed slightly nervous and, not for the first time, Ginny wondered why.

Sirius and Ginny didn't talk too much. He always seemed to watch what he said around her and it was a trait that did not charm Ginny. She was constantly trying to get him off of his guard when they were around each other but it did not seem to do any good.

It was possible that he was just terrified over the state of his godson and, knowing that, Ginny never pressed the subject. Biting her lip and squirming in her seat, Ginny forced her mind off of her thoughts and back to what she was going to ask.

"Harry's going to be coming here soon, right?" She asked.

Sirius sighed, shrugging slightly. He tapped his wand against the mug of water and she saw steam suddenly float from the water.

"I would hope so," He muttered after a second. "But you know Dumbledore and… he must be feeling so angry, what with the lack of owls we're sending him."

"Harry's strong," Ginny said, tilting her head as she spoke. "He'll pull through."

Sirius didn't say anything to that. Ginny blinked, continuing to suck on the candy as Sirius continued to make his tea. After a moment, Ginny sighed, sick of the awkward silence. She grabbed the bag of sweets and got up from the table.

"I'll be heading up to bed, I think," Ginny told Sirius after throwing the bag of sweets into the pantry. "G'night Sirius."

Sirius nodded his consent, taking the seat that would have been across from her had she still been sitting down. Wrapping her arms around her body, for she was still rather cold, Ginny headed out of the kitchen only to be stopped by Sirius' voice.

"I heard you fancied Harry," He whispered and it echoed in the kitchen.

Ginny's eyes grew wide and a light blush highlighted her cheeks. _What?_ Turning around, Ginny stared at Sirius.

"I fancied myself in love with him," Ginny agreed. "Why?"

A look of relief seemed to flash across Sirius' face, causing Ginny to blink. The relief, though, was replaced with self-loathing and Ginny didn't understand why. After what seemed like an eternity, Sirius lifted a hand and brushed some hair from his face.

"Ginny, I…"

"Sirius?" Ginny frowned when he didn't continue speaking, confusion taking over her face.

She started to walk back into the kitchen when Sirius stood suddenly, causing her to stop in her tracks. He walked to her, getting so close to her that Ginny felt her heart skip a beat in nervousness. His hands reached out to take a hold of her arms and she sucked in a breath, her eyes growing wide.

"Sirius-"

Sirius stared at Ginny with dark eyes before he leaned down and brushed his lips against her cheek. She could feel the small hairs on his chin scrape against her cheek and it gave her the chills. He stepped back from her and walked away, not giving her an answer to the question that so clearly burned on her face.

_What was that?_

His cup of tea was still steaming, untouched, on the table.

---

Ginny opened her eyes quickly, startled by the memory that she had just remembered. It was a memory from over two years ago. It had been the summer before her fourth year and now, here she was, in her sixth year. Blinking, Ginny rubbed her eyes, sitting up in the seat. What class was she in?

Looking around the classroom, she saw that the Gryffindors were with the Ravenclaws, meaning that it was History of Magic, Transfiguration or Astronomy. As it was obviously day time and she knew she would never be able to fall asleep during Professor McGonagall's class, she knew where she was.

History of Magic- which explained why she had fallen asleep. A tired grin came to her lips at the thought. Turning her head to the side, she caught sight of Luna.

"I thought something had attacked you, perhaps a Pingeroly; they're known for their powers to cause humans to fall asleep," Luna said, matter-of-factly. "The thought of a Slytherin giving you a sleeping potion crossed my mind but then I realized they wouldn't waste their time with such things."

"That 'such things' is me, Luna," Ginny mumbled dryly, rolling her eyes slightly. "Thanks for boosting my ego."

"You're ego, Queen Weasley," Luna began, taking up the nickname that she had dubbed Ginny with during her fourth year (when that terrible 'Weasley is Our King' song was made up for Ron). "is big enough already."

Ginny giggled slightly, shaking her head at the words of Luna. Shifting in her seat, Ginny looked down at the parchment that she had set out on the table before she fell asleep. But on top of the parchment was a sealed envelope addressed to her.

"Luna?" Ginny asked, turning amused eyes to the Ravenclaw. "Did you write me a note?"

Luna didn't even bother to turn and look at the note.

"No, I didn't," Luna said. "It appeared on your parchment while you were sleeping."

"That's impossible," Ginny told her, tilting her head.

"Obviously it's not," Luna mumbled, still not looking at her.

Ginny raised her eyebrows, taking the letter in her hands. It simply had her name written on it… Slowly, and hesitantly, she ripped open the envelope. A piece of folded parchment fell out of it. A feeling of excitement bloomed in Ginny's stomach and she bit her bottom lip.

Unfolding the piece of parchment, Ginny was ready to read something important. Instead it told her that the Gryffindor Prefects were meeting at McGonagall's office around seven. She got so worked up over nothing. But that did mean that she would have to end Quidditch practice earlier then she had planned to.

An annoyed sigh escaped Ginny's lips and she crumbled the letter into a ball, shoving it in her bag. McGonagall, now Headmistress in place of Dumbledore, could not be biased as to the winnings of the Quidditch Cup between the houses but, as the former Head of House for Gryffindor, Ginny would have thought she'd schedule the meeting around the Gryffindors' practice.

Why did McGonagall and Professor Lupin (who was now back to Hogwarts, teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts and ruling as Head of House for Gryffindor) ever decide to have her as a Prefect? Lupin also gave her the spot as captain for the Quidditch team but she was much more honored over that then being Prefect.

She had hardly any time to herself with being Prefect, captain and the official worrier over the lives of Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter (who were still traveling all over Europe in search of the Horcruxes).The Quidditch team was like a second family to her though and she supposed she should be grateful for the opportunities given to her. It showed her that, obviously, Lupin held her in high respect.

Feeling eyes on her, Ginny glanced at Luna.

"Yes?" Ginny asked, the corner of her lips turning upwards.

"I'm going to miss you," Luna stated, smiling sadly.

"Am I going somewhere?" Luna was so confusing sometimes. A good friend but a confusing one.

"Sure you are," Luna responded.

Ginny opened her mouth to speak again but a bell interrupted her. It was time for lunch. Sending Luna a questioning look, Ginny shoved her items into her bag before standing.

"I've got to go to the Gryffindor tower, so I'll see you at lunch," Ginny promised.

Luna didn't seem to hear her for she walked away, a glazed look on her face. Ginny sighed and walked out of the classroom also.

---

The rest of the day passed rather quickly. Ginny had eaten lunch with her friends, gone to the rest of her classes and then eaten dinner. Quidditch practice began and, thankfully, was not interrupted by the troublesome Slytherins.

"Seamus- _No!_ Everyone stop!" Ginny screeched, waving her arms wildly to catch the team's attention.

Everyone looked miserable as they flew towards her but Ginny felt no remorse.

"How are we suppose to beat even bloody Hufflepuff with the way we're flying?" Ginny snapped. "Have you not touched your brooms at all during the summer? Last practice was just the same-"

"Just… Ginny, it's stress," Colin said, seeming nervous at having spoken up.

Ginny turned sad eyes to him, her anger burning out. He was right of course. Wizards and witches were being killed randomly all throughout Europe, what with Lord Voldemort being back and unafraid to attack. The students at Hogwarts attempted to live a normal life, even though the student population had shrunken considerably, but it was hard. The thought of Hermione, Ron, Harry and the rest of the Weasleys crossed Ginny's mind and she hung her head.

"Right," Ginny muttered before speaking up. "Right, well, Quidditch is suppose to brighten us up, not drag us down."

Dean and Seamus gave a loud "Here, here!" that caused scattered laughter to be heard. Ginny smiled slightly.

"Practice is over-"

"Ginny, we'll try harder!" Susan, a fourth year, protested.

"No, it's not that," Ginny assured. "I have a Prefect's meeting I have to go to. So pack up, I'll see you Tuesday."

The team landed and set off to the Gryffindor tower for some much needed relaxation. Ginny hoped that McGonagall and Lupin wouldn't mind if she showed up to the meeting in her Quidditch outfit, all sweaty and sticky, carrying her broom over her shoulder.

It took her less than ten minutes to make it to the gargoyles and she muttered the password quietly, wondering in the back of her mind if her fellow Prefect had received the note to come to the meeting. Running a hand through her hair as she began up the steps, she made it even more tangled and gave a small growl.

"Come in," Lupin's voice called when she knocked on the door and Ginny entered the office.

Ginny, who had only seen the terrific office on two terrible occasions (after the Chamber of Secrets incident and when she was told that a snake had bit her father) and during three Prefect meetings, allowed the familiar sense of awe to settle over her. On the walls were portraits of former Headmasters and Headmistresses. Most of them seemed to be sleeping but several waved kindly to her.

Turning her eyes to the instruments that lay scattered through the room, Ginny distantly wondered if McGonagall did anything to make this office hers instead of leaving it as Dumbledore's.

"Ah, just finished practice?"

Looking at Professor Lupin, who was sitting next to McGonagall's empty desk, Ginny smiled and began towards him. After spending much time together over the past couple of years Ginny felt that Lupin was more of a friend then a teacher. It was hard to be serious with him when he returned to Hogwarts to teach.

"Yes," She answered, sitting down. "I hope you don't mind the broom…"

Lupin shook his head in amusement as Ginny placed her broom next to her seat. It was then that she noticed only three seats, the two herself and Lupin were sitting in and McGonagall's, were in the office and that her fellow Prefect had yet to arrive. McGonagall also seemed to be missing in action.

"Professor?"

As if knowing what Ginny was going to ask, Lupin leaned forward. He intertwined his fingers and put his elbows on his knees.

"Ginny-"

A door opening cut off Lupin and McGonagall rushed in, a frown settled on her lips.

"Remus, I've got it! Miss Weasley, you've arrived- very good."

Ginny's eyes widened when she saw, clutched in McGonagall's hands, a Time-Turner.

------------

Author's Note: The story is not beta-read. Sorry for any mistakes. Review please!


	2. Chapter Two

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Two_

_The Girl_

"Is that a Time-Turner?" Ginny asked before stopping. "I- Where's Andrew? And… Professor-"

McGonagall took a seat in her chair behind her desk, across from Ginny and Lupin. Ginny took a chance to glance at Lupin, who seemed relieved to have McGonagall back in the room. Her confusion deepened and worry began to settle in.

"Now, Miss Weasley, I must ask you a very simple question," McGonagall said, placing the Time-Turner on her desk.

Ginny nodded her head slowly, her eyes drawn to the gold hourglass. After a second she looked back up into McGonagall's hawk-like eyes.

"Yes?" She muttered.

"How much are you willing to sacrifice for the Order?"

McGonagall now had Ginny's full attention. Licking her dry lips, the answer came immediately to Ginny. She'd sacrifice anything and everything for the Order and the people in it. Bloody hell, most of her family lay in the hands of the Order. All she knew was that the Order was the only chance the world had against Voldemort, for the Ministry of Magic was still a little slow with uptake.

But this question seemed to be a double-edged sword. If she said what she truly felt then she was allowing herself to go into unfamiliar territory and had to face whatever it was that McGonagall wanted from her. Ginny couldn't be too sure whether this was good or bad.

Of course, if she said only so much, she would be disappointing herself and her family. It also meant that she would never know what McGonagall wanted and what the purpose of the Time-Turner was. And it had been so long since she was needed by someone so important.

"The Order is my life, Professor," Ginny began, slowly and unsurely. "It contains my family and my friends… I'd do anything to help them."

McGonagall nodded tensely and Ginny heard Lupin sigh. She hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath, waiting for her answer. Ginny narrowed her eyes.

"Why?" She asked, now even more suspicious.

"Time is a very tricky thing, Miss Weasley," McGonagall told her. "You can get lost in time, you can go back and forward in time, you can even change time. The past is never as secure as you think it is. The future, unwritten as it is, is always changing because of the things we do right now, at this current moment…"

"Professor?" Ginny asked before turning to face Lupin, who was staring at the ground.

Sighing, Ginny turned back to the Headmistress.

"In 1978, twenty years ago, Professor Dumbledore found a book in the Hogwarts library. This book was forbidden to all eyes for it contained spells and curses that could kill millions." McGonagall's eyes narrowed as they stared into hers. "It could also weaken the most powerful of wizards.

"He found this book for a young girl who had come to Hogwarts seeking his help. The book is very vital to us, Miss Weasley." Ginny waited for McGonagall to continue. "The book is a Horcrux."

A thick silence sat in the air and Ginny licked her lips again.

"You do know what the Horcruxes purposes are and why we need them, do you not?" McGonagall asked sharply, making it seem as though they had no time to explain what Horcruxes were.

"Yes, of course!" Ginny said right away. "I forced it out of Ron, Harry and Hermione before they left…"

McGonagall nodded and Lupin looked up from the ground.

"It has a part of Voldemort's soul in it," McGonagall told her. "_He _wrote the book, which was plainly obvious by the power the book contained."

The Time-Turner gleamed in the light from the fireplace and Ginny's eyes were drawn back to it.

"Professor McGonagall… what does this have to do with me?"

McGonagall looked at Lupin, giving him the responsibility to answer the question. Ginny looked at him also, her eyebrows raised.

"You need to go back in time and get the book, Ginny," Lupin answered and Ginny's stomach dropped in shock.

Neither McGonagall nor Lupin spoke as they allowed Ginny to process what was just said. She stared the Time-Turner, realizing now that it was brought out for _her_. She was going to go back in time!

"I have to get it from that-that girl?" Ginny asked, raising a hand to her cheek. "The one Dumbledore gave it to?"

Lupin shook his head slowly.

"Ginny… you are that girl."

Ginny's mouth had dropped open and she was continually turning her head to look at McGonagall and Lupin. They both wore very serious expressions and she began to stutter, trying to voice her thoughts. Lupin reached over, a small smile appearing on his lips, and took a hold of her hand.

"How is that _possible?_" questioned Ginny, unsure of how she should be reacting. "I'm right here, right now. I don't understand!"

McGonagall frowned even more.

"Miss Weasley you must go back in time and get the book. You're to ask Dumbledore to find it for you and he shall, then you will return. We will have one more Horcrux found, Mr. Potter can destroy it, and the Final Battle will draw even more near," The Headmistress responded.

"Why me though?" Ginny squeaked. "Why not Hermione?"

"Are you unwilling to do this?" McGonagall asked and Ginny felt herself straighten in offence.

"Not at all!" She said.

"Miss Granger is helping Mr. Potter," McGonagall explained. "It's critical to him that she is there with him."

"But I'm Prefect and Quidditch captain, won't everyone notice if I'm gone?"

"Students often return home to visit ill family members," McGonagall said.

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed.

"Ill?"

"Yes, your mother has just become tragically ill," Lupin said.

Ginny realized that what they were saying would be her cover story. She shook her head, shock still coursing through her veins.

"Okay." Ginny breathed in deeply. "Alright, so I'm just going to arrive there?"

McGonagall shook her head briskly.

"You'll be there with the students on the first day of school," McGonagall told her. "You will find Dumbledore so you can speak to him. Then you will explain to him what you need and he will get it for you."

"Simple as that?" Ginny asked, frowning slightly.

"No…" Lupin replied. "You'll be there a long while; Dumbledore won't find it right away. But it would suspicious to everyone if we had you suddenly arrive in the middle of the school year. It has never happened before, after all."

Ginny's eyes narrowed as she stared at Lupin. He wouldn't catch her gaze however.

"How… how do you know I'd be there for a long while?"

Lupin allowed his eyes to lock with hers and a slow smile lit up his face. Ginny felt a smile come to her face without knowing why.

"Because I remember, Ginny."

"You mean- you mean I'm going back to when you were in school?" With Lupin's nod, Ginny felt a surprised laugh escape her lips. "I'll see you? And… and Sirius? And Harry's dad?"

"James." Lupin supplied the name with a grin. "Yes, you'll see us. It was our seventh year when you came about."

"Do we become friends?" Ginny asked excitedly.

"Now, now, you'll find that out yourself," Lupin answered. "That is not important… it is more important for you to get this book."

The excitement died down and McGonagall's frown was deepening. Ginny realized she had become excited over a silly thing and blushed.

"It has no name," McGonagall began. "There is nothing special about it on the outside. But Dumbledore will find it when the time comes. He had seen the book before but had thought it unimportant and lost track of it."

Ginny nodded.

"You won't be saying goodbye to anyone, Ginny," Lupin said, almost sadly. "Your parents know of your mission but cannot come see you; they are on a mission for the Order also."

A flash of despair showed itself inside of her and Ginny ducked her head. How long would she go without seeing her family?

"I… Okay…"

Both McGonagall and Lupin seemed to realize how hard this was for her for they both offered her gestures of sympathy. Lupin squeezed her hand, which she had forgot he was holding, and McGonagall's frown lightened.

She had to be brave; this was for the sake of the Order and the future of the wizarding world and… _Harry._

"Your name is Ginevra Stiles," Lupin told her. "You're a Hufflepuff sixth year and you've come to Hogwarts after the death of your family; you now live with your Aunt."

Ginny lifted her head.

"A Hufflepuff? Why can't I be in my own house?" She asked, surprised.

"We think it would be wise for you to lay low. Gryffindors seem to have a knack of getting into trouble," McGonagall dryly said.

Lupin laughed and caught Ginny's eyes, which caused her to think that perhaps she would cause a bit of trouble in his time. The mood lightened.

"Here," said McGonagall, pushing three small black bags towards her. "This money should last you your stay at Hogwarts."

Reaching out, Ginny grabbed one of the bags. It was heavy and, when she opened it, she saw stacks of Galleons. There was more money in the bag then Ginny had ever seen in her whole life! Tying the bag back up, Ginny looked at McGonagall with wide eyes.

"I can't accept this-"

"You most certainly will!" McGonagall cried out. "How else will you survive there, hmm? And it is the least you deserve for doing this."

Lupin nodded in agreement and Ginny felt her façade fall. She would need money after all. Pulling out her wand, Ginny shrunk the bags even more and shoved them in her pockets.

"When do I leave?" Ginny asked, feeling the need to drink something for her throat was quite dry after all the time in the office.

"Now; if you have no qualms about it?" McGonagall said, lifting the Time-Turner.

Opening her mouth, Ginny realized she didn't know what she wanted to say and shut it. She nodded sharply and McGonagall's face relaxed into a smile.

"Thank you, dear girl," McGonagall said as she stood from her seat. She placed her hand on Ginny's shoulder, causing Ginny to have to look up at her. "This must be surprising but you'll be quite fine there."

"Good luck," Lupin added gently. "Heed our warnings, speak to Dumbledore but other than that… enjoy yourself."

McGonagall placed the chain of the Time-Turner around Ginny's neck. She gasped at how cold it was and her fingers immediately grabbed the chain.

"Live there as if you were originally from there," Lupin continued. "You'll have nothing to do till Dumbledore finds the book. Go out for the Quidditch team if you desire."

Lupin reached down by her seat and came up with her broom. She took it and found that her hands were quivering.

"Make friends, do good on tests, find love…" Lupin continued.

"Love?" Ginny croaked and Harry's face flashed in her mind. "Professor…"

McGonagall had begun to turn the Time-Turner though and Ginny forgot what she was going to say. Lupin was watching her with a small smile on his face and Ginny wondered if they had become friends or… would become friends. It was all a bit confusing-

Ginny felt a bit of fear grab her stomach.

"There is one important thing, Miss Weasley," McGonagall said as she continued to turn the Time-Turner. "Do **not** tell anyone you are from the future, you could destroy everything and risk your own life. Dumbledore is the only person to know and, even then, you cannot tell him anything-"

As McGonagall finished saying this she dropped the Time-Turner and a strange thing began to occur.

"Good bye, Miss Stiles," McGonagall said, stepping away.

Everything blurred and McGonagall's and Lupin's faces disappeared. It felt as though Ginny was flying very fast and she tried to stand up, for she had been sitting when the Time-Turner began its magic and there was no longer a chair under her any longer. She couldn't move her body however and an intense pressure squeezed at her head. Ginny tried to scream and her ears were pounding-

Everything stilled and Ginny fell to the ground, hitting the stone floor with a loud crash. Her vision spun and she closed her eyes, bringing a shaky hand to her forehead where she was drenched in sweat. Was that it? Did twenty years just fly by her? After a moment, Ginny opened her eyes and saw that she had just missed falling into a seat by a few inches. She muttered a curse at the chair and sat up to find herself staring into twinkling, confused, blue eyes.

"I suppose…" Albus Dumbledore began, smiling. "that you have a reason to be here?"

Ginny attempted to stand, grabbing onto a chair to heave herself up and dropping her broom in the process, before nodding to Dumbledore. It was strange to see him alive and a rush of sorrow made her take a moment to collect herself.

"I do," She responded weakly before collapsing in a chair, completely exhausted.

Dumbledore stood from his seat and walked over to her, squatting next to her. Ginny felt her breath get caught in her throat and she reached out, her fingertips brushing his aged face. A smile from Dumbledore, who caught her hand, caused Ginny to begin to cry.

He was alive still, in this time…

It was like seeing the dead or living in a horrible nightmare or having a fabulous dream...

---

It was August 31st, Ginny found out after she had finished weeping. No student roamed the halls of the castle yet and Dumbledore told her, quite delighted, that he was happy she had come to join him a day early. She had right away explained to Dumbledore that she had come for only one thing. He promised he would find the book as quickly as possible and offered her the comfort of Hogwarts till that time came. They set up her classes and spoke of her cover story. Ginny gave him one of the bags of money, for he promised to have her school supplies bought.

Then Dumbledore walked with her down the corridors to the Hufflepuff common room. The common room was located behind a small statue. With a password, "Honeydukes", the statue moved to the side and a giant hole appeared. Dumbledore and Ginny had walked into the bright yellow and black common room. It was peaceful and Ginny was soothed by its setup.

Fires sparked in the many hearths the moment they entered and Dumbledore assured her that she would be utterly happy here. Ginny put her broom down on the floor.

"Thank you…" Ginny muttered as she rubbed her eyes with a still trembling hand. "You have no idea how strange this is for me."

Dumbledore chuckled, his blue eyes roaming over the Hufflepuff common room.

"I do not doubt it, Miss Stiles. But I must remind you once again-"

"Yes, I know," Ginny said, smiling weakly at him. "No one, not even yourself, can know anything about the future."

"Indeed," Dumbledore responded. "Jolly good. I do believe it is time for bed, Miss Stiles. You know where my office is if you need me and I hope to see you down at the Great Hall for breakfast tomorrow."

Ginny nodded and watched as Dumbledore tipped his hat at her before the tall, aging wizard exited. Before he exited all the way, however, she called out to him.

"Yes?" He answered, coming back into the common room.

She wasn't quite sure why she called him. The overwhelming urge to hug the old man overtook Ginny and she stepped towards him. His eyes shined bright for a moment, as though he knew the trouble she was going through, but when she didn't move he offered her a smile.

"Miss Stiles?"

"I…I don't know," lamely Ginny said.

"Remember, I'll be in my office if you need me."

Dumbledore left.

When the hole shrunk Ginny sat on a couch in front of one the fires. The Hufflepuff common room was very similar to Gryffindor's except for the difference of color.

"This is my new home…" Ginny whispered, touching the fabric of the couch.

Only a few hours ago she had been… twenty years in the future. She had been Ginny Weasley; Prefect, Quidditch captain, sister of Harry Potter's sidekick and the girl who opened the Chamber of Secrets. Closing her eyes, Ginny laid down fully on the couch. Exhaustion nipped at her.

Now, though, she was Ginevra Stiles; a girl with no family, no friends, no past and only one goal. Everything had happened so fast, as if McGonagall feared that something would stop Ginny from going back in time. Lupin's kind face reminded Ginny that she would make friends but, feeling awfully lonely at the moment, Ginny felt herself drift to sleep.

----------------

Author's Note: Wow! I'm surprised by all the reviews from the first chapter! Thank you so much, you've given me brilliant ideas from your reviews for this story. I do hope you like how the story is turning out so far. The next chapter should be out soon, hopefully. Thank you!

**Fire and Ice 4Ever**: I might need your assistance with the story, if you don't mind still. If it does come up I will email you. Thanks!


	3. Chapter Three

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Three_

_Several Hufflepuffs and a Slytherin_

"_I'm back! McGonagall, I'm back-"_

_A strangled sob left her mouth as she rushed to stand on her feet. On the floor were bodies, bodies of everyone she knew. What happened? Was… Oh no! There must have been an attack. Hogwarts had been attacked again. She was too late, she took too long! Everyone was dead, Voldemort had attacked-_

"_Mum?" Ginny cried out when she saw her mother's body. "I have the book, I have it!"_

_More sobs came from her and Ginny shoved her face in her hands, unable to see the sight of her mother with lifeless eyes. She began to shake all over just as a hand grabbed her shoulder. Spinning around in fright, Ginny felt a fresh wave of tears cover her face. _

"_Harry…" She groaned, reaching out and grabbing his hand._

_He was bleeding and his eyes were blank._

"_I have the book," Ginny whispered, shoving a thick book at Harry. "We can still defeat Voldemort."_

"_No, we can't," Harry answered before falling towards the ground._

_Ginny caught him and collapsed under his weight. He was cold to the touch and Ginny gasped at his sudden change of temperature._

"_Harry?" _

"Hullo?"

_Ginny looked up in confusion. Who had just spoken? It wasn't Harry, for his eyes were shut and he wasn't breathing…_

_Oh Merlin, he was dead-_

"Wake up!"

_She couldn't breathe either, she had failed, oh she had failed and everything was ruined because of her! A sudden push caused her head to hit the ground but it wasn't painful and she opened her eyes, not realizing she closed them._

"You were sleeping very deeply for someone who just entered the common room," An amused voice said.

Ginny blinked, unsure of what just happened. She was laying on a couch and a crowd of… of students was pouring into the common room. Sitting up, Ginny continued to watch the scene with dazed eyes before someone sat down next to her.

For the past twenty four hours Ginny had simply lounged around the Hufflepuff common room. Breakfast with Dumbledore was grand and he explained her situation, the tragic death of her family, to the other members of staff, who did not give her a second thought. Even McGonagall accepted Dumbledore's words easily. After breakfast Ginny returned to the common room; Dumbledore had told her to rest.

So she had. And, apparently, she had fallen asleep through the Sorting Ceremony. How daft was she?

Ginny, realizing a girl was sitting next to her, focused back on reality. The girl had light brown hair and smiled prettily at her, glad to finally have her attention.

"Sorry," Ginny rushed to say, realizing the girl had woken her up. "I was so tired."

The girl raised her eyebrows in amusement.

"We haven't done anything yet!" The girl replied, laughing.

Ginny hurried to cover her actions with lies, which she was quite good at, having grown up with Fred and George.

"The Sorting Ceremony was a bit boring," Ginny explained. "And then all the food… I thought it would be the end of me, I swear to Merlin."

The girl laughed and stood. Ginny also stood and reached out, her hand dangling in the air as she introduced herself.

"Ginevra Stiles, I'm new," She said and the girl grinned.

"I noticed, I was wondering who you were. Dorcas Meadowes." They shook hands and Dorcas tilted her head. "I'm a sixth year."

"Me too," Ginny replied.

"Why'd you suddenly come to Hogwarts then?" Dorcas asked, clearly curious.

"My family…" Ginny stopped and allowed a frown to flash across her face. "They were killed."

Dorcas' happy face immediately darkened and she offered an awkward apology.

"This is closer to my aunt, who I live with," Ginny continued and Dorcas nodded.

"Well Hogwarts is a grand school! You'll love it here, you will," Dorcas promised. "I'll show you the dorm and introduce you to the girls!"

Ginny followed Dorcas up the steps to the girls' dormitory. She had yet to venture up the stairs, feeling that she didn't have the right to explore until the rest of the Hufflepuffs were there with her. Looking back down in the common room she saw several questioning faces watching her. Strangely the steps went up only a small amount, showing the first years' dormitory before beginning downwards.

The older you were the further down your room was! Unable to fight the amazement she felt, Ginny followed Dorcas down the brightly lit staircase. Finally they reached their destination and Dorcas pushed open the door to the sixth year dormitory. She turned to Ginny with a smile.

"It's incredible here," Ginny remarked, still amazed by the difference in staircases between the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs.

"You haven't seen anything yet," Dorcas said.

Dorcas and Ginny entered the room to see that two other girls were climbing into bed. The girls looked up, surprised by the unknown girl. Dorcas pushed Ginny into the room more.

"This is Ginevra-"

"Oh, call me Ginny!" Ginny said, cutting Dorcas off. "It's a horrible name, Ginevra."

"I like it," One of the girls said. "Ginevra… has a ring to it."

Dorcas shook her head.

"Well, she's new here," Dorcas continued. "That one's Marlene McKinnon."

Marlene, who had been the one who liked Ginny's real name, glanced up with a tired smirk. She was crawling into bed and didn't seem too suspicious over Ginny's appearance.

"And that's Amelia Bones."

Amelia Bones… this was Susan Bones' aunt. She was apart of the trail Harry had to go through when the Dementors attacked him. Voldemort killed her during Ginny's fifth year… Ginny frowned and lowered her eyes.

"That's my bed," Dorcas continued. "So that one must be yours. Nice trunk!"

Ginny walked over to her bed, trying to breathe calmly, and brushed her fingers against the trunk. Opening it she saw two stacks of new robes and clothes and a pile of books, quills and parchment. A sigh came from Ginny and she then turned to see Dorcas examining the contents of her own trunk.

"Can't believe we're already back at Hogwarts," Dorcas muttered. "Summer went by too quickly."

Ginny watched Dorcas' movements with faraway eyes. This had been the first test to show that Ginny _could _handle being at Hogwarts. She could lie and gain everyone's trust, even if they were dead in her own time. The thought caused her stomach to twist painfully. Dorcas saw Ginny watching her and smiled.

"Really, don't be nervous. Hogwarts will become your home before you know it. And we've got some fetching chaps here."

Biting her lip, Ginny crawled onto her own bed. Amelia seemed to have dozed off and Marlene had grabbed a book, no longer listening to either of the talking witches.

"You should get back to sleeping though," Dorcas warned. "Tomorrow is the start of classes and if you have hard classes… well you won't be feeling grand tomorrow night."

Ginny knew that statement was all too true. She nodded in agreement and crawled under her covers. They were thick just like the covers in the Gryffindor's dormitories. Laying down, she closed her eyes and was surprised by how tired she still was. Dorcas cursed at something before blowing out the candles in the room; Ginny could smell the smoke in the air.

Would all these girls eventually die? Did she go to school with any of their children? Did they support the Order or would they fight behind Voldemort? Did her being here affect their future? She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Already she had met someone who wasn't alive in her real time…

Her nightmare came to mind and a strangled sob almost left her lips but she covered her mouth with her hands before it could escape. What if she did come home too late? She didn't know how to work a Time-Turner. What if her family were dead when she came home or she had missed something important because she was spending all her time here? Ginny hadn't worried over that before but now…

Tears leaked out of Ginny's shut eyes and her breathing became harsh. She wanted to go home, let her go back home!

---

"Let's not make this a habit," Dorcas' laughing voice said after the witch had thrown Ginny's covers off her body.

Ginny opened her eyes right away and looked around, once again surprised that she was still here, that it wasn't a dream. Sitting up in the bed she saw that Amelia and Marlene were chatting happily to each other as they dressed for the day. Dorcas stood next to Ginny's bed, dressed in her nightclothes still.

"I'm not a morning person," Ginny admitted.

Dorcas shrugged.

"Well that's horrid for you," Dorcas said, causing Ginny to grin slightly. "Get ready and I'll walk with you to the Great Hall."

Getting out of bed, Ginny went to her trunk and pulled out a set of robes. They were nice and were a thicker fabric then she's ever been able to afford. But her mind wasn't caught up on the fact that the robes were nice yet stuck on the fact that there was a Hufflepuff patch on the robes. Her ties were also yellow and black and Ginny frowned.

"Don't like the colors?" Marlene asked, walking by and having seen Ginny's face.

"I'm just not use to them," responded Ginny.

Marlene tossed her dark hair over her shoulder as she tied her own tie around her neck.

"Personally, I don't like the colors," The girl said. "But they're better then Ravenclaw's colors."

Trying to look puzzled, Ginny began to change out of her nightclothes.

"What are their colors?"

"Blue and _bronze_," Marlene said, apparently disgusted. "I mean, really…"

"Stop boring her to death," Dorcas interrupted, fully changed now.

"It's not boring, Dor," Marlene hissed.

"Fashion-"

"Is interesting," Marlene finished.

Dorcas rolled her eyes as Ginny hurried to change into her clothes, hardly caring that she was in front of a bunch of strangers. Marlene was stiff for a moment before shrugging.

"With the world as it is now, though," Marlene began. "I may never get to get into fashion."

Ginny raised her eyebrows in question.

"You-Know-Who is getting too strong," Marlene whispered, suddenly tense again.

At the mention of Voldemort all the girls frowned. Any joy that had been in the dormitory disappeared. Ginny tugged her socks on, slipped into a pair of new shoes and grabbed her wand off of her bed stand. Dorcas nodded at Ginny when she approached her.

"Ready for the best breakfast you'll ever have?"

---

Her plate was loaded with food and Ginny felt more at home now then she had in the past day and a half. The students chatter filled the Great Hall and Dorcas babbled away to Ginny as they both ate. Marlene had wondered over to them, only to be stolen away by a Ravenclaw boy. Amelia was with another group of Hufflepuffs.

"Tell me about where you came from," said Dorcas, eating some bacon.

Ginny shrugged as the Burrow came to mind.

"I had a small house, held mostly together by magic. We had chickens and pigs that positively destroyed the front yard but we had a huge backyard that went on for miles. There was a lake there and we'd go swimming there in the summer-"

"Who's we?" Dorcas asked, her voice soft.

Ginny knew how she should react, for her whole family was suppose to be dead, and she looked away from Dorcas' eyes. But her feelings weren't all too made up, for the thought of her family brought forth painful emotions.

"My brothers and I. We were a rowdy bunch," Ginny muttered.

"They must have been great," Dorcas said gently.

"They are-were." Ginny quickly corrected her words.

Dorcas didn't noticed Ginny's mistake of words, or she didn't care, for her eyes landed on a person behind Ginny.

"Edgar! Hey, Edgar, get over here!"

A boy who looked just like Amelia came over. He glanced at Ginny, his eyebrows perked in confusion, and Dorcas quickly explained that Ginny was new to the school.

"Ah, welcome then," Edgar said in greeting, reaching over to shake Ginny's hand. "I'm Edgar- Edgar Bones. I'm captain of the Quidditch team."

Ginny's face lit up and Edgar must have noticed for a large grin appeared on his face.

"You like the sport then?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Ginny responded, unable to help herself.

She was now on a familiar topic that could not go astray and bring her pain.

"I actually play," She continued and Edgar became more interested, leaning across Dorcas to talk to her.

"Which position?"

"Chaser," Ginny answered simply.

"Ah, brilliant!" Edgar exclaimed, standing up and rushing to sit next to Ginny.

Dorcas gave a loud groan from next to Ginny but she didn't notice. Edgar grabbed Ginny's hands and forced her to look into his eyes.

"Now don't try to soften the blow," Edgar began. "If you're a bad player, just tell me right away. But… but if you're good, don't be modest!"

Edgar was squeezing Ginny's hands so hard that it hurt and she held back a wince.

"I'm good," Ginny said. "Well…"

"_Don't be modest!_" Edgar shouted, startling the Hufflepuffs around him. "You're good? You're probably the only good Hufflepuff who isn't on the team already then!"

"You haven't even seen me play," She answered, amused. "What if I were lying to you?"

Edgar paused and his expression fell. Ginny felt like she had just said something very cruel.

"Hufflepuffs don't lie," Edgar responded as though that were a code to live by.

Dorcas began to laugh next to Ginny and they both turned their attention to her. Edgar rolled his eyes and groaned.

"You lie, Dorcas, but you're one of the few!"

"Don't fill Ginny's head with such false notions," Dorcas demanded, still shaking from giggles. "Hufflepuffs do lie, Ginny. Gryffindors aren't all that great, Ravenclaws do say stupid things and Slytherins can be generous… sometimes."

Ginny grinned and Edgar released her hands.

"Quidditch tryouts are in two weeks. I expect to see you there!"

---

Professor Sprout handed out the schedules for classes just as Marlene crashed into the seat across from Ginny. Edgar and Dorcas were comparing schedules and Ginny glanced at her own again, her interest already peaked. Would these classes be the same as the ones in her time? Would she learn different things or would she just be learning the same thing all over again?

"What classes do you have?" Marlene asked Ginny.

Ginny handed Marlene her schedule, shrugging. She knew that for the rest of the day she and Dorcas shared no classes. The remainder of the week, though, Dorcas and Ginny did have quite a bit of classes together.

"Oh! We have a double period of Ancient Runes together after lunch!" Marlene said, her face brightening.

A smile curled on Ginny's lips and she found a bubble of joy form at the thought that Marlene seemed excited to be in a class with Ginny.

"I didn't know you took that class," Edgar said, grinning. "I didn't think you were up to that type of work."

"Bones, you just stated the problem there," Marlene answered dryly. "You didn't _think_."

A laugh escaped Ginny's lips before she could help it and she covered her mouth. Dorcas began applauding Marlene and Edgar was blushing furiously.

"Yes, go ahead, cheer her on!" Edgar said to Dorcas sarcastically.

Dorcas gave a loud cheer and Marlene rolled her eyes, handing the schedule back to Ginny.

"Really now, Dorcas."

When the laughter died out of Dorcas, conversation immediately sprung up between the three Hufflepuffs. Ginny felt oddly left out, even though she didn't try to enter the conversation, and she bit into her apple, her eyes darting around the Great Hall. How many of these people did she know?

She stared at the Slytherin table, which was the table on the left side of the Hufflepuff table, closest to the wall. Most of the Slytherins had dark looks on their faces and Ginny was shocked by the difference between the Slytherins she knew and the Slytherins of this time. The Slytherins seemed much more deadly then Ginny remembered. This was the old generation…

Ginny frowned as she continued to look at the Slytherins. Then she caught sight of a familiar pair of eyes, causing her breathing to stop. No, it couldn't possibly be… but it was… Ginny's jaw dropped. Marlene turned around in her seat to see who Ginny was staring at and turned back around with a grimace.

"That's Severus Snape," Marlene said, her voice a slight whisper. "Doesn't seem that powerful of a wizard but he is very lethal; a Slytherin. You don't want to mess with his sort."

Ginny continued to stare at the teenage boy. He was scrawny and his black hair fell in clumps around his face. Snape was boney and not at all as intimidating as he would eventually become. Pale skin stretched across his face and he looked incredibly awkward. This was who would eventually murder Dumbledore; this boy would be the one to kill the one wizard Voldemort would ever fear. Her eyes flickered to the Headmaster and she was surprised to see that he was already looking at her. He smiled kindly to her and she tried to smile back but it failed.

Looking back at Snape, she saw that he was also looking at her, seeming appealed by her. A sneer coiled on his lips and his dark eyebrows rose. Ginny looked away, her stomach tightening so much that she felt like she were about to be sick. She quickly stood from her seat, dropping her apple and faking a smile.

"I'm going to go and try to find my first class," Ginny said, picking up her schedule and her bag.

She had to get out away from him.

"I'll help you find it, if you'd like," said Dorcas but Ginny waved off her offer.

Was he still watching her?

"It's fine, I have to get use to the school anyway. See you at lunch!"

_Murderer._

Ginny walked away from the table and towards the exit of the Great Hall. She glanced back to see if Snape were still looking at her but his attention was diverted to a book. A sigh of relief came from her and she continued on her way out, battling her emotions. After a few minutes she arrived in a deserted corridor and she tried to figure out what was itching inside of her to do.

Well, she desired to do many things, a voice said sarcastically in her head. Ginny wanted to warn Dumbledore of what was to come, she wanted to stop Snape from even _graduating _from Hogwarts, she wanted to stop Voldemort before he could kill the parents of the boy she loved, she wanted to change the future…

But all she could do was scream, release her energy… so she did. She kicked the wall and threw herself at it and took off her shoe and threw it as far as she could. Finally, her energy used, Ginny leaned against the wall. Her breathing was heavy and her anger was spent but the feeling of hopelessness that had arrived in the Great Hall was still in her. Right now Dumbledore is protecting that… that traitor! Dumbledore was unknowingly teaching the man that would eventually kill him magic.

And she couldn't tell him. Ginny couldn't tell Dumbledore a damn thing; she couldn't try to save him. She felt almost as though she herself were killing Dumbledore. Here was her chance and she couldn't take it. Clenching her hands into fists, Ginny slid down the wall. This was how she was going to feel the whole time she was here, wasn't it? She was going to feel hopeless and homesick. A feeling of nausea would constantly be snapping at her and she'd never be completely happy. Always lonely, always left out, always different, always _knowing_ what no one else knows.

Or maybe she was overreacting. Maybe the book would be found soon (though she knew it wouldn't be) and maybe she would make the Quidditch team and… maybe it was time for her to go get the books she would need from the Hufflepuff common room.

The thought of Amelia Bones came to mind and Ginny desperately grabbed at her hair. A fair woman, wasn't that what someone had told her when Harry went away to his trail at the Ministry? Amelia was a good judge of character and listened to both sides of the story… She was the aunt of a girl Ginny knew. And she was going to die in the next twenty years, as were many of the people currently at the school.

Standing in what she hoped was a confident way, Ginny walked down the corridor and slipped her foot into her shoe that she had thrown. She'd hide her emotions, she could do that, she could keep her secrets…She began to walk in what she hoped was the right direction to the common room.

----------------

Author's note: Okay, this chapter is longer, like many of you requested. Ginny has met her fellow roommates, she has just begun to experiencea feeling of hopelessness, she has yet to meet theMarauders... Please review.


	4. Chapter Four

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Four_

_A gift by the name of Crookshanks_

Ginny wasn't hungry when it was time to go to lunch. She slowly walked out of her classroom, hugging her books to her chest, and wondered what she could possibly do till her next class began. As friendly as her fellow Hufflepuffs were to her, Ginny felt no desire to go spend time with them. Bowing her head, Ginny walked through the crowded corridor.

She wished she knew the password to the Gryffindor common room. For six years Ginny had basically lived in the Gryffindor tower and now, when she needed to see it the most, she was unable to. Biting her lip, Ginny continued down the corridor. She expertly dodged a group of first years who were running down the corridor to the Great Hall.

Where could she go? It was a rather nice day out and she could spend some time by the lake. Deciding that outside would be her destination, Ginny was about to turn into another corridor when someone bumped into her. Her books spilled onto the floor and she looked up angrily when whoever it was continued to run down the corridor. What a git! Whoever that was didn't even have the sense to stop and help her pick up her books!

The corridor was emptying and Ginny squatted, collecting her books. When she stood back up she flipped her hair to the side before stopping. She was right in front of the library. Ginny turned her body towards the library, giving it her full attention. It looked the exact same as it would in the future and Ginny took a hesitant step towards it.

She was here for a book after all. Perhaps she could help Dumbledore along and find the book in the library. Grasping the door handle, Ginny pulled open the large library door. No student was in the library and the librarian looked up, surprised, at the sound of the door opening. Ginny offered her a polite smile and began to walk through the aisles. There were random desks all throughout the library and, when Ginny was sure she was far away from the doors and the librarian, she put her books down.

McGonagall had said the book had no name and that was nothing special about it on the outside. Ginny looked at the book shelves that surrounded her. Personally, Ginny was never a big reader and she found that all the books seemed to have nothing special about them. Of course she could only see the spines of the books. Running her fingers along the spines, she found that her fingertips gathered quite an amount of dust.

Ginny grabbed the first book on the highest shelf. The cover of the book was black leather and the gold writing was peeling off. Wasn't it the librarian's job to make sure stuff like this didn't happen? Ginny shrugged and walked over to the table. She opened the book and saw that the book was about Charms.

Turning to the first page, Ginny began to read. Would the book she was looking for be about dangerous spells right away? Perhaps it was in the Restricted Section. Ginny's eyes flickered up towards the Restricted Section before looking back at the book in front of her. There was no way she would find out whether the book was in the Restricted Section or not until she went through all the books in the library.

The library was very large, Ginny thought dully.

For the next half hour Ginny continually stood, took books off the shelf after putting back the books she had already taken down before sitting back down at the table. She'd read through the first ten pages, flip to the middle, see if there was anything interesting before going to the next book. Maybe a spell was needed to show the true contents of the book.

Ginny looked up from the thick book she was looking at. It was then that she felt eyes on her. She stiffened and turned around, giving a small scream when she saw the librarian standing right behind her.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked with a gasp.

"Making sure you weren't ruining any of my books!" The librarian snapped before stalking away.

There was no time to think over the librarian though. A loud bell had rung, signaling that the students should report to their class. Lunch was already over? Ginny rushed to put away the stack of books she had taken down from the shelf. When she was sure all the books were put back, she grabbed her own books and ran out of the library. She had a double period of Ancient Runes with Marlene and she hoped to meet her in the corridors.

For her first classes of the day Ginny had had trouble finding them and she was sure she would have the same trouble with Ancient Runes. The librarian screeched something to Ginny about not running as she darted out of the library. Luckily, as Ginny had wished, she found Marlene. Marlene was walking alone and she immediately brightened upon seeing Ginny before her face fell.

"We were worried over you!" Marlene told Ginny. "We thought you couldn't find your way to the Great Hall."

Ginny gave her an apologetic smile.

"I wasn't hungry and decided to explore a bit. I went to the library for some reading."

Marlene nodded in understanding before turning the subject to something she preferred.

"Any boys catch your eyes yet?"

At the unexpected question, Ginny's mouth dropped open dumbly. She shook her head and Marlene smirked.

"There are quite a bunch here, after all," continued Marlene.

"What? No, haven't found any-" Ginny paused. "I'm not really looking."

"Girls are always looking," Marlene simply said. "I could give you some advice on it. Boys' personalities go with the house they're in."

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't really want to hear about boys and their houses but Marlene didn't notice this.

"If you do plan on dating anyone in this school watch out for the Slytherins," Marlene warned.

Snape's face appeared in Ginny's mind in a rush and her face blanched. Marlene, who had a habit of catching Ginny's face when she was showing feelings she'd rather not be seen, sighed.

"Yes, some of them do have their good features," Marlene said this as though it pained her. "But they're all horrid. You need to be a Slytherin to date a Slytherin."

Ginny nodded absently in response.

"Let's see… Ravenclaws can make good boyfriends. I have a boyfriend from there now, his name is Marcus. He's very into his studies but, then again, he is a Ravenclaw."

They reached their classroom and walked in together. This class was fuller then Ginny's other classes and the two of them found a desk to sit at together. Ginny put her books down and stretched out her arms. Marlene continued with the conversation.

"The only Gryffindors worth catching are… well, actually, there's a couple," Marlene said. "The Prewett twins are handsome but they are very caught up in each other- not caught up _like that_ but they do seem to care for each other a lot and if you date one than you're sort of dating the other."

Turning to face Marlene, Ginny felt butterflies in her stomach.

"The Prewett twins?" Ginny asked, her voice strangled. "They're… here?"

Marlene nodded, absently twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. Her eyes were focused on Ginny's face though.

"Do you know them?" Marlene asked.

"Sort of," Ginny mumbled. _We're related. _

And it was true. If the Prewett twins were the twins Ginny was thinking of (and they had to be) then they _were_ related- they were her uncles, her mum's twin brothers. During the first rise of Voldemort they had died together, killing many Deatheaters. She had heard stories of their greatness and had always wished they had been alive so she could meet them.

"Ah, the red hair," Marlene said, as if that explained everything when it really explained nothing.

The professor of the class entered the room. This caused Marlene to stop talking to Ginny, an attentive look appearing on her face and it gave Ginny some time to her self. She bit her lip as new thoughts forced their way into her mind. Curiosity arose in her at the thought of meeting her uncles.

---

For the next three days Ginny did not go to lunch and instead found herself in the library. The librarian soon came to trust Ginny and didn't come to check up on her randomly as she did the first day. There was no success in finding any sort of book but Ginny wasn't really expecting success. She had a feeling that she was only coming to the library as an excuse to not make friends or be around anyone from the past for too long.

Dorcas and Ginny, though sharing many classes, did not seem to connect as well as had been thought after their first meeting. Ginny was stubbornly closed off and Dorcas had other friends, hardly needing to make the new girl feel at home when the new girl did not _want_ to feel at home. Edgar was still strict with Ginny trying out for Quidditch but Marlene seemed to realize that Ginny wasn't as interested in boys and fashion as much as she had hoped.

The four Hufflepuffs still ate breakfast together but Ginny had started skipping dinner also, instead going to the Hufflepuff common room to finish her homework so she'd have the night to spend in the library. Ginny frowned at her thoughts, rubbing her forehead with her free hand as she snapped shut a book.

Soon the bell would be ringing and she'd have to rush to class. Picking up the stack of books she had, Ginny placed them back in order on the shelf. She was almost through two rows on the shelf and she felt a small trickle of accomplishment at that. Ginny went back to the table and collected her books just as the loud bell rang.

She exited the library, giving the librarian a nod, and was about to begin in the direction of her class when someone called out something familiar, a name. Ginny didn't bother to turn around until the calling of the name became more insistent. The name… was her fake last name!

"Miss Stiles! May I have a minute of your time?"

Turning around, Ginny was shocked to see Professor Dumbledore walking over to her. He smiled kindly at her and she stopped walking, allowing him to catch up to her. When he did reach her they were both quiet and Ginny wondered why he had even bothered to come up to her if he wasn't going to speak to her. Finally Professor Dumbledore glanced over to the library before looking at her, his eyebrows raised.

"You've been spending quite an amount of time in the library, I've noticed," Dumbledore said.

Ginny felt ashamed of this even though she knew there was nothing wrong with it. She nodded quickly and Dumbledore sighed.

"Will you join me in my office, Miss Stiles?" Ginny opened her mouth to give a feeble protest, she was suppose to be in class, but Dumbledore cut her off. "Your professor already knows of your whereabouts and as soon as we are finished speaking you can be on your way."

With another nod, Ginny and Dumbledore began their way down the corridor, towards his office. They were quiet the whole way there and Ginny had a terrible feeling that she was going to be in trouble, but for what she did not know. When they reached the gargoyles that protected Dumbledore's office, he said the password and allowed Ginny to step onto the staircase before following her.

When they entered his office and were both comfortable, he offered her a candy. She declined, too curious and worried over why she had been brought into his office to desire any candy.

"There are three things I would like to bring up to you, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore told her, sucking on his candy.

The candy must have been sour for a very peculiar look came upon Dumbledore's face before vanishing. He smiled at her.

"I will not pretend to not have noticed your continued absences in the Great Hall at meal times," Dumbledore began. "And I will not pretend that I do not care that you have not been eating."

Ginny stared at the Headmaster with wide eyes. He brought her to his office, allowed her to miss some of her class, to… discipline her about not eating? Her jaw dropped open but she couldn't make herself say anything.

"And I also noticed that you have not made any close friends…"

With those words, Ginny began to sputter for a moment.

"Professor! Really-"

"Now, now." He held up his hands to make her stop speaking. "This is a very serious matter. I wish all my students to be happy and this includes you, Miss Stiles."

Dumbledore sucked on his candy for a moment before deciding to speak again. With his words, Ginny's face turned an awful red color.

"You are to go to the Great Hall to eat all three meals," Dumbledore told her conversationally, though his voice held no room for argument. "You are not to go to the library during your time to eat and, though I cannot control you during your free time, I'd rather you not spend your time there. It is your duty to learn and grow, my dear, and it is _my_ duty to find the book."

Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, feeling a headache appear out of nowhere, before opening them again. She still felt a great sadness whenever she saw Dumbledore but now she was beginning to realize he was very much alive. He was very much in control, also, of her life as she stayed at Hogwarts. And the fact that Ginny now learned this was causing him to become more human before her very eyes.

"I was just trying to help," Ginny weakly protested.

"You were hiding away," Dumbledore informed her, looking down his nose at her.

She felt horrible.

"I will not allow you to hide from your fears, Miss Stiles. I do realize the change of atmosphere must be terribly hard on you. You are now enjoying, or not enjoying, the company of people who will one day be the parents of your friends. You have to be around people who, in the future, will become heroes… or become villains. It is a great and terrible burden."

They stared at each other and the pause of conversation was terrible. Tears blurred Ginny's vision and she looked away from the Headmaster.

"Do not be frightened to make friends," Dumbledore told her gently.

"I am _not_ frightened!" Ginny cried out, looking up.

Her chest ached and her lip was beginning to tremble. He didn't understand what she was going through, how could he pretend to understand? She thought back to her feelings when she saw Amelia Bones, when she saw Snape and how she would feel when she'd meet other people who she knew the future of. It hurt, it hurt so much…

"I do not believe you," Dumbledore whispered. "As much as I wish to believe that one, simple white lie I cannot bring myself to."

Ginny fought back a sob and she diverted her gaze to the ground. Dumbledore seemed to realize she was not going to say anything for he continued to speak as though he had never stopped.

"I can force you to eat but I cannot force you to make friends." Dumbledore's words caused Ginny to look at him.

A tear spilled from her left eye and Dumbledore heaved a painful sigh, standing from his seat and walking to her. She watched him and didn't show any emotion when he kneeled next to her. This was much like her first encounter with him when she had first traveled back in time.

"You will become comfortable here, my dear," Dumbledore whispered to her, taking a hold of one of her lifeless hands.

Ginny frowned.

"And that _I_ cannot believe," She responded.

Dumbledore released her hand and walked away from her. For one desperate moment, Ginny was sure she offended him. He walked into a room that Ginny could not see into, that was connected to his office, and Ginny went to stand, to follow him and offer him her quick and honest apologies. She stopped when he came back into his office, an orange fur-ball in his hands.

He put the fur-ball on his desk and sat back down. His eyes were on Ginny but she hardly noticed. She couldn't believe it. Was that…

"A kitten?" Ginny squeaked.

Dumbledore nodded, a smile coming to his face.

"A friend of mine's cat had a litter of kittens," Dumbledore explained. "I thought the kitten may be able to help keep you company."

Ginny looked up at Dumbledore, her eyes wide.

"The kitten is for me?" She asked and, at Dumbledore's nod, reached out and picked up the kitten.

"Friends do not necessarily have to be people, Miss Stiles."

At her touch, the kitten opened its large eyes. Ginny stared at it for a long moment before she began to laugh. The kitten was strikingly familiar and Ginny could hardly contain her amusement. Fate was certainly strange sometimes.

A smashed face stared up at her; the kitten looked like it had run straight at a brick wall, its face was so squashed. Surprisingly four very short legs managed to hold up the fluff-ball and Ginny lifted the kitten, continuing to study it. The fur was thick and feathery. Running her hands through it, Ginny let out another loud laugh.

"I believe the kitten is half Kneazle," Dumbledore informed her.

Ginny nodded and placed the kitten in her lap. Who would have thought… Ginny smiled at Dumbledore.

"Let me prove you wrong, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore clearly spoke. "I have a knack of making students feel at home at Hogwarts and you will be no different."

The kitten stretched out on Ginny's lap and Ginny pet it slowly. She shared a glance with Dumbledore.

"Thank you," Ginny whispered.

Dumbledore nodded.

"You will, of course, pick a name for it?"

"Yes, I already have one," Ginny responded, a mischievous grin blooming on her face. "Crookshanks."

---

After getting Crookshanks, Ginny had thought that Dumbledore would send her off to her class. He kindly reminded her, however, that there was one more matter they had to discuss. Ginny shifted to get more comfortable in her seat. This time when Dumbledore offered her a piece of candy she accepted. She found that the candy _was_ a bit sour and her face screwed up awkwardly for a second before relaxing.

"Earlier today I had heard an overeager student discussing that you wished to tryout for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team," Dumbledore began, intertwining his fingers together and placing his chin on them.

Ginny's eyes narrowed as she nodded. Was there something wrong with her joining the Quidditch team and… who was talking about her?

"Edgar?" Ginny slowly asked and Dumbledore smiled kindheartedly.

"Yes, Mr. Bones was quite excited about the prospect of you joining. But, I suppose you already know, most boys and girls get very animated at the thought of Quidditch," he said.

There was a pause.

"Is there something wrong with me joining?" Ginny asked and Dumbledore shook his head.

"No, I myself am eager to see a possibility of glory coming to the house of Hufflepuff and I have a feeling you may help move this along," Dumbledore responded. "But, though I am no expert on brooms and such, I do believe that in twenty years the brooms will be fairly faster then they are now."

Ginny had no idea where he was going with what he was saying. Running her fingers through the kitten's fur, Ginny shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess so," responded she.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"You _did_ bring a broom with you from your time, didn't you?" Dumbledore asked her and Ginny gasped with sudden understanding.

"Oh!" She nodded. "Yes, I did."

Dumbledore chuckled, taking another piece of candy and sucking on it. He seemed to have become use to the sourness for he made no face this time.

"You do, of course, have a choice concerning this situation. I would consider it cheating if you were to keep your broom at the normal speed," Dumbledore began. "Your one option is to buy a new broom; one of today's speed. "

Buy a new broom?

The broom Ginny had brought was one she had been given for becoming Prefect and Quidditch captain. It was a gift from her parents and _she _had been the one who had broken it in. Ginny held the broom quite close to her heart and she couldn't imagine herself using another type of broom. Also she had a limited supply of money and brooms were extremely expensive. Voicing her thoughts to Dumbledore, she watched as he contemplated what to say next.

"I do believe that, if you wish to use your broom, I can charm it to the speed of the brooms today," Dumbledore muttered to himself, though his words were directed to Ginny.

She nodded eagerly.

"Well, that is all then," Dumbledore said. "Bring me your broom within the next week so you may use it at tryouts."

Ginny stood up from her seat and was bouncing on her feet. Everything seemed much better now with the kitten in her hands and Dumbledore on her side. Bending down, Ginny picked up her books and balanced both them and Crookshanks.

"Thank you," Ginny said once again.

"Of course, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore responded. "To class you go."

Nodding, Ginny walked to the door. Dumbledore waved his wand and the door opened for her. She turned back, flashing Dumbledore a grin, before going to the Hufflepuff common room.

---

Ginny dropped Crookshanks off on her bed before running to her class. She had Advanced Charms and she knew Dorcas and Marlene in there. When she got the classroom, she knocked on the door. It opened and Flitwick bounced up and down at the sight of her.

"Miss Stiles! Miss Stiles!" He squeaked. "Good to see you, please have a seat!"

Glancing around the classroom, she saw that indeed Marlene and Dorcas were sitting together. They looked up and beamed at her. Ginny took a seat next to them and pulled out her wand. Marlene leaned across Dorcas to whisper to Ginny.

"Where were you?"

Ginny looked to make sure Flitwick wasn't watching before answering.

"Dumbledore's office," Ginny answered.

Dorcas and Marlene shared a glance before looking back at Ginny.

"Why?" Dorcas asked.

The urge to shut them out overtook Ginny but she fought it away. She was going to do as Dumbledore wished. He wanted her to make friends so… she would try to be more open to her fellow Hufflepuffs.

"I had Owled my aunt, told her I was a bit lonely…" Ginny lied. "She sent me a kitten to help take my mind off of things. Somehow Dumbledore ended up with it and he delivered it to me."

Immediately Dorcas and Marlene began to chatter excitedly.

"That's sweet!" Marlene said.

"I'm deathly allergic to cats," whispered Dorcas. "But I do love them. Is it cute? What does it look like?"

"Did you name it yet? You could name it Marlene, after me of course-"

Ginny began to laugh at Marlene.

"Where is it? Why didn't you bring it with you?"

"Here, I'll show you what we learned in class while you were gone."

"Ginny?" Dorcas called.

"Oh, sorry," Ginny apologized. "The kitten is in the dormitory. And I would appreciate it very much if you helped me with the charm."

"Yes," Marlene said, waving her long wand at nothing. "It's very simple really-"

"It's sort of hard," Dorcas muttered to Ginny out of the corner of her mouth. "I didn't get it till the fifth time."

"Because you weren't _trying_, Dor!" Marlene said, hearing what Dorcas had said to Ginny.

"Ginny," Dorcas said, changing the topic a bit. "Why did you feel lonely?"

Marlene glanced at Ginny along with Dorcas and she blushed.

"We've been here all along, after all," Dorcas kindly said.

Ginny shrugged.

"Yes, I know," she said. "Wasn't use to not seeing my family, not use to being in such a new place… it's sort of better now, though."

"Good," Marlene responded.

--------------

Author's Note: Yes, yes, I know! No Marauders yet? What is she thinking! Next chapter, though, is full of the boys and I do think it will satisfy your thirst. I just thought that, unlike all the other Time-Turner stories, Ginny needed some time by herself and to make friends outside of the Gryffindors.

Thank you so much for the reviews also. I hold them very close to me and some of you have given me great suggestions that I definitely take into account (**LilyintheValley **pointed out to me that Ginny's broom would be too advanced, thus part of this chapter!). I hope you've been enjoying this story as much as I have. I have many plans for this story and you will not be disappointed (especially those of you who like Remus/Ginny friendships/relationships). An addition to my words: Everyone in this story IS real; I have not yet made up a character.

Review! Continue reading! Thank you!


	5. Chapter Five

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Five_

_The Marauders_

The next week and a half went by smoothly. Ginny enjoyed the first weekend in Dorcas, Marlene and Edgar's company. She had given her broom to Dumbledore to charm and she finished all her homework, which was quite a large amount. Crookshanks became accustomed to the Hufflepuff common room and was soon a favorite among all of the girls, though the boys seemed to be more cautious around him. Quidditch tryouts were happening the next day and Ginny was ready to go flying and get back into the sport.

It was Saturday and Ginny was wondering around the castle with Crookshanks. Crookshanks as a kitten was quite hilarious. For some reason Crookshanks was just as stuck up and suspicious of everything as he would be in twenty years. He did love attention, though, and often would annoy Ginny until she gave into petting him or talking to him. Today she allowed him to lead her through the corridors, wondering how the kitten so quickly learned the routes of the castle.

"Now, now, Snivellus, don't run away-"

"Padfoot, stop!"

"So _this_isthe way the new Head Boy is going to cease a brewing fight?"

The loud voices caught both Crookshanks and Ginny's attention. Turning her head, Ginny wondered who was fighting and where they were. She began to follow the angry voices.

"Snape, you bloody well don't know what you're about to start!"

Ginny stopped walking right away, her heart skipping a bit, but Crookshanks continued forward, either unaware of his mistress' actions or uncaring of them. She watched with desperate eyes as Crookshanks turned the corner, walking directly towards where the fight would be. And, by the sounds of it, the fight contained Snape… and a group of boys.

"Of course I do…"

"Snape, shut up!"

Even without seeing it, Ginny knew that the fight was going to become disastrous. She had to get Crookshanks and just dart out of sight! Ginny knew that she wouldn't beable to face Snape and she was worried that whoever his companions were were people that she knew in the future. If she was seen she wouldn't be able to handle it. Creeping around the corner, Ginny saw that Crookshanks was sauntering over to the boys.

Ginny cursed the kitten, the damn curious kitten, and began to inch her way towards him. She didn't want to bring any attention to herself but she had to get Crookshanks.

"Or what-"

"Stop it now!"

Crookshanks turned his head and saw Ginny. He glanced at the fighting boys then back to her before deciding that she was obviously more worth his time. Ginny thanked Merlin as Crookshanks came right to her. She snatched him up and was ready to turn and run when two words stopped her.

"Quiet _werewolf_!"

Ginny was frozen to the spot, finally turning her attention to the boys. Her breath was caught in her throat as she stared at the sight in front of her. Indeed, she had been correct to assume that one of the boys was Severus Snape. But the other four boys were boys she hadn't planned on seeing… four boys who Ginny did know who in the future. The Marauders.

She continued to stare at the five boys. Snape was breathing harshly and had his wand drawn, pointing it directly at the face of Sirius Black. A chill ran up and down Ginny's back as she stared at the boys. James Potter looked positively torn, probably unsure whether to curse Snape or stop the fight. Remus Lupin was staring in horror at Snape and Peter Pettigrew was hiding behind his friends.

Remus was suppose to be holding Sirius back but it was thankful that Sirius had stopped struggling for Remus' arms had fallen limply to his side. The tension in the corridor was thick and Ginny was glad that she and the boys were the only ones there. It would do no good if the fact that Remus was a werewolf spread throughout the school.

"What a _dirty_ little secret," Snape hissed to the boys.

That set off a reaction between the boys. Sirius jumped at Snape and Remus didn't react fast enough to hold him back. Snape's head hit the corridor wall with a sickening crack but it didn't seem to affect him for too long. He shook off his lightheadedness and it was then that he noticed Ginny. An almost scary smile appeared on his face.

"Black, I'd let go," Snape said.

Ginny's heart was pounding hard but she couldn't move. Crookshanks had fallen asleep in her arms, insensible to what was taking place.

"_Why_ would I ever do that?" Sirius snapped and Snape leaned his face away from Sirius' arrogantly.

"Because we have a witness."

At Snape's words Sirius dropped the Slytherin and looked directly at Ginny. The other Marauder's also looked at Ginny and everyone was once again frozen. Everyone except Snape, that is, who soon hurried away in the opposite direction. It was as Snape disappeared from sight that Ginny could move her body again.

The remaining boys did not seem to know what to do, what to think, and Ginny did the first thing that came to mind. She turned and ran down the corridor, going in the direction she had come from. Her running seemed to have triggered the boys to move, however, and they were soon in pursuit of her.

"Stop! Girl, stop!" A shout echoed in the corridor but she continued running.

She couldn't face them, not now. Ginny couldn't look into their eyes and not be able to hold back her grief. Two of them were dead, one of them turned traitor and the other was left alone in the world. Their footsteps were getting louder, meaning they were closer, and, just as Ginny chanced a look over her shoulder, a hand roughly grabbed her arm and slammed her into a wall. In shock, Ginny dropped Crookshanks.

Ginny went to scream but a hand covered her mouth and she found herself staring into bright brown eyes of James Potter. Sirius stood next to his best friend, blocking any way of Ginny escaping, and Remus was leaning against the wall opposite of them, looking very ill and frightened. Pettigrew was still running down the corridor towards them.

They were all breathing severely and Ginny's eyes were wide as emotions rolled over her. She wasn't scared, not really, but she did feel very sick and was sure she was about to faint. Here were James Potter and Sirius Black… they were right in front of her, touching her, probably about to kill her but nonetheless…

"What, exactly, did you hear?" Sirius hissed.

Ginny struggled against James' hold on her.

"Answer us!" Sirius demanded.

Even though Ginny was feeling quite dizzy, she rolled her eyes. James still had his hand over her mouth.

"Your hand, James," Remus managed to whisper, having noticed the same thing as Ginny.

James' eyes narrowed.

"You're not to scream," He warned. "And you're not to run. Got it?"

Ginny nodded and James removed his hand from her mouth. She kept her mouth shut and her hands gripped the wall.

"You heard what was said, didn't you?" James asked her and she managed a nod.

Sirius cursed and Remus buried his face in his hands. Pettigrew had just reached them, wheezing. Ginny waited for James' reaction as he studied her.

"You won't tell anybody," He ordered and Ginny's thoughts began to come to her.

They had just slammed her into a wall, James was still gripping onto her arm like she was a bloody animal and now they were telling her what to do? Ginny hissed and yanked her arm out of James' grip. She would never tell anybody about Remus' condition, she had known for years now and never had the desire to tell.

"Don't worry," Ginny snapped.

Her head was beginning to ache and she was still very shaky. The two Gryffindors were still crowded around her but, just as she thought that, Sirius let out a loud, painful shout, stumbling away from her. Ginny watched, amazed, as Crookshanks sank his claws into Sirius' leg.

"Get this bloody MONSTER off of me!" Sirius shouted, trying to swing Crookshanks off of his leg.

Ginny watched Sirius hop around and howl madly for a moment before moving. She swiftly went to Crookshanks and attempted to pull him off of Sirius' leg. Crookshanks wouldn't budge until Ginny whispered a promise of helping the kitten find spiders for it to eat. When Crookshanks was safe in Ginny's arms, Sirius hissed and lifted his pants to see what damage was done. There were deep claw marks in his leg.

"He is not a monster, git," Ginny snapped, remembering the insult Sirius had thrown at her cat.

She cradled Crookshanks to her chest as a flash of incredibility went across Sirius' face.

"It just tried to take off my _leg_!" Sirius hissed.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Sirius and Sirius growled at her. James, however, distracted them with curses directed to the absent Snape. Sirius decided to take out his anger the same way.

"I'll kill Snape," Sirius snarled. "He just shouted it in the corridor… I'll kill him!"

"Do we tell the Headmaster?" James asked his friends and Ginny glanced at Remus.

As if he felt her eyes on him he looked up at her and their gazes connected. For a moment she felt like she was looking at the Remus Lupin she knew from her time, the one who was far too kind for his own good and far too old for his age.

"We should," James answered his own question, running a hand through his hair.

"No," Remus said suddenly.

Sirius, James, Ginny and Pettigrew all looked at Remus with surprise etched in their features.

"She won't tell anyone," Remus continued. "I trust her."

Sirius looked back at Ginny with a frown.

"Trust her? Why?" Sirius paused, his eyebrows furrowing. "Who are you anyway? I've never seen you around here before."

James muttered an agreement and Ginny bit her lip.

"Ginny," She whispered. "Ginny Stiles. I'm new."

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest and Remus stood up from his spot against the wall, walking over to her. Her previous anger was leaving her and the familiar helplessness was taking over.

"What a way to start off at a new school," Sirius dryly said.

Ginny ignored him.

"Hufflepuff?" Remus asked and she nodded.

After a moment of silence, Remus bent down and picked up her wand she unknowingly dropped when James had grabbed her. James and Sirius both stepped away from her, giving her room to breathe but she found it was getting more difficult to do so as the situation caught up with her. These boys… they were going to have miserable lives… the war… Voldemort…

Remus handed her her wand and she closed her eyes as wave after wave of dizziness hit her.

"Are you okay?" Remus questioned, his voice laced with concern, and she managed to nod.

"I won't tell anyone," Ginny promised. "Just _go_."

Ginny wasn't sure if they left her right away or not but, after a few moments, her legs collapsed from under her. She put her books down next to her and put her head in her hands. Even with her eyes shut everything was spinning.

So _that_ was her first meeting with the Marauders.

---

When Ginny finally got back to the Hufflepuff common room she fell onto an empty couch in exhaustion. Her head was whirling with thoughts and she couldn't make it stop. She had never thought she'd react the way she did.

But how was she suppose to react?

Ginny didn't know the answer and she took a deep breath when she began to shake. And to think she had been excited when Remus told her that they'd known each other in the Headmistress' office twenty years from now. She was such a fool sometimes.

They looked so young, so innocent. Ginny had never seen anything like them in her own time, as it was also tainted with darkness. Bloody hell, they had chased her down a corridor to make sure one of their friend's secrets was kept safe. Rubbing her arm at the memory, Ginny stared blankly at the fire.

Was she going to feel sick every time she was around the Marauders? Most likely. Did she want to be around them if she was going to feel that way? No…she didn't want to be around them if she was going to feel that way. Would they even want her around now? Probably not. So the solution was simple enough and came to Ginny right away. She would just never let herself be caught in their company again.

Hogwarts was a big enough school, they were a year above her and they were in a different house. Ginny could ignore them if she needed to and, as the corridor incident flashed in her mind, she knew that she did.

Crookshanks laid down beside her and Ginny began to stroke his soft fur. To think, it was all because of this kitten that she was caught in that situation. Ginny sighed and tried to clear her head…

But this was her only chance to get to know the real Sirius and Harry's father. Maybe she could warn them about Peter Pettigrew- No! That wasn't an option; it was the same situation as Snape with Dumbledore. But, just as she thought about the girls in the dormitory, did her being at Hogwarts in 1978 affect their future somehow?

And, when she would go back to her real time, two out of the four of them wouldn't be there. If she didn't get to know them now she would never get to know them. What was she going to do? Should she ignore them, let them lead their lives, or should she try to talk to them? They knew who she was now, she held a secret that they didn't want spread, but they probably thought of her more as a nuisance then anything else.

Ginny sighed again.

---

Ginny's broom was on her shoulder as she walked around the grounds. Today was the day of tryouts for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. She desperately wanted to fly and release her bad energy after the past day and night. All night long she had had terrible nightmares of the four teenage boys she had met yesterday. There were always flashes of green light and loud, horrid screams. It had been enough to make Ginny to wake herself up and force herself to not fall back asleep. Classes throughout the day had been boring and she had been shaky throughout them.

The Marauders did not bother Ginny, though, as she thought they might. Exactly Ginny had not once spotted the Marauders, whether in the Great Hall or the crowded corridors. Her nerves were still spent from her day before with the Marauders and she knew she couldn't handle another meeting.

Once classes had ended Ginny had immediately gone to her dormitory and changed into more comfortable clothes. Her short sleeves showed off the bruises on her arm from James quite well and she had self-consciously rubbed at her arm. When she grabbed her broom she went outside, not bothering to tell any of her Hufflepuff friends where she was going. She knew that tryouts weren't going to start for a bit but she wanted to be outside in the cool air.

Finding a tree to sit under, Ginny dropped her broom and sat down. Her back pressed against the trunk and her eyes lazily looked over the grounds. Students were beginning to come outside; it was a beautiful day after all. None of the students Ginny knew and she was thankful for that. It only took a second till her eyes landed on a familiar hut. Beside it stood the half-giant man who was very much her friend.

"Hagrid!" Ginny called happily, standing up and waving to him.

It was as Hagrid was turning around to the call of his name that Ginny realized the mistake she made. Cursing, Ginny dodged behind the tree she had been leaning on. Hagrid didn't know her yet, she wasn't suppose to know Hagrid yet. Peeking around the tree, Ginny saw Hagrid glancing around confusedly before going back to his work. Was she an idiot? Why didn't she think about what she was about to do before she did it?

Ginny knew the answer to that. She never carefully thought out her actions, she was a spur-of-the-moment type of girl. Adrenaline rushes were what Ginny constantly craved so she never thought about what she was about to do. Whatever came into her head she said, whatever she wanted to do she did… and she couldn't do that here. Frowning, Ginny grabbed her broom and began to walk to the Quidditch Pitch.

Hopefully people would already be there and they could begin tryouts right away. Glancing down at her broom, Ginny wondered just how fast it would go. She hoped it wasn't too slow. The Quidditch Pitch loomed in front of Ginny and her worries were pushed to the side. Excitement began to buzz through her. She could see that several other Hufflepuff players were already at the pitch and she wondered if this was her competition.

"So you're the new Chaser!" said a dark skinned boy when she reached them.

Ginny frowned.

"What? No, I'm here for tryouts… aren't you?" Ginny asked uneasily.

The boy shook his head no and Ginny's eyes narrowed slightly. Just as Ginny opened her mouth to speak Edgar came running up to the group, smiling brightly at the arrival of Ginny.

"Good, you're here!" Edgar spoke cheerfully. "We can begin practice."

"Practice?" Ginny took her broom off her shoulder. "But I haven't even tried out!"

Edgar looked at her like she was mad for a second before he began to laugh, shaking his head.

"Did you think I was lying when I said there was no one else good in Hufflepuff to play for us?" Edgar questioned.

Some of the teammates began to laugh also and Ginny wasn't sure how to respond.

"Don't you want to at least see me fly?" Ginny asked, wanting to prove that she should be on the team rather then picked just because she was there.

Edgar stopped laughing and stared at her for a long moment before nodding. The box that held the Quidditch balls was already pulled out. He reached down and pulled out the Quaffle. Ginny, Edgar and the rest of the teammates went to stand in the middle of the Quidditch field. Mounting her broom, Ginny pushed off the ground. She flew high into the air, enjoying how the wind whipped fiercely at her face, and gave a small cry when she saw Edgar throw the Quaffle into the air, far away from her.

Leaning down on her broom, she expected it to speed towards the ball but it only gave a little jerk before moving slowly in the air. Ginny frowned down at the broom before looking to see the Quaffle falling back towards the ground. Her frown deepened; Ginny knew brooms weren't _this_ slow in this time. For a moment the broom continued with the same slow speed before it gave another jerk.

It began to fly fast in the direction Ginny pointed but not as fast as it use to be. However Ginny did manage to catch the Quaffle before it was even close to hitting the ground. Ginny looked to the ground to see how Edgar reacted but found that he and the rest of the Hufflepuff team were already on their brooms, surrounding her. Edgar was clapping his hands and some of the teammates were giving her catcalls. Grinning, Ginny tossed the Quaffle back to Edgar.

"Brilliant," Edgar shouted. "Your broom was going a bit slow in the beginning, though…"

Ginny began to laugh. Thinking on it now she realized what had happened. Dumbledore did have a strange sense of humor; she could specifically remember Dumbledore's eyes sparkling mischievously when he handed her back the broom.

"That won't happen again," Ginny promised.

"Good, good," Edgar responded. "Let me introduce you to the team."

Edgar pointed to the closest person to him.

"This is Dai, quite a crazy Quidditch player," The captain introduced. "He'll be a fellow Chaser of yours."

Dai grinned at her, doing a flip in the air on his broom. The girl next to him rolled her eyes.

"A bit of a showoff too," The girl said. "I'm Meghan McCormack."

Ginny stared the girl before gasping.

"Your mother is Chaser for the Pride of Portree!" Ginny cried out, pointing at Meghan.

Meghan smiled and nodded. _You'll be a Keeper for them in a couple of years! _Ginny thought.

"I'm the Keeper of the team," Meghan told her.

Next to Meghan was Amelia, who Ginny found out was Beater with Edgar. Arnold Peasegood was the Seeker and Dempster Wiggleswade was a fellow Chaser. The team was quite friendly to her and Ginny was immediately comfortable in their presence. Edgar threw the Quaffle at Ginny and she caught it, flying higher in the air.

"And practice begins!" Edgar screamed and the brooms began soaring.

Ginny threw the Quaffle to Dempster, who caught it easily. Out of the corner of her eye, Ginny saw Meghan rush to her place in front of the goals. A weight seemed to be lifted off of Ginny's shoulders and she smiled. This is where she belonged, in the air… Dempster passed Ginny the Quaffle and Ginny tossed it to Dai right away, who was right next to her. Dai spun on his broom, speeding towards Meghan. With a powerful throw, Dai threw the Quaffle towards an empty hoop.

Meghan flew to the Quaffle and her fingers wrapped around the Quaffle, stopping it from scoring. No one seemed disappointed by the catch though.

"We have a great defense! Hardly anyone can throw a Quaffle towards those hoops and get it through!" Dai said excitedly.

Ginny nodded. Meghan would eventually play professional; she did not doubt the girl's skills. Practice continued when Meghan threw Dempster the Quaffle.

---

Quidditch practice left Ginny achy and happy. She landed with the rest of the Hufflepuff players and threw herself on the ground. The grass around her tickled her skin and she closed her eyes contently. When she felt someone watching her, she opened an eye. Meghan stood above her, merry.

"I 'spect we'll win this year," Meghan said. "Only my fifth year and we'll win…"

Meghan sat on the ground next to Ginny and Ginny closed her eye. The sun had yet to set but Edgar had said another Quidditch team was coming out here for tryouts. Ginny didn't feel ready to move, however, and Meghan seemed to be sharing the same thoughts. A warm breeze brushed across Ginny's skin. Together the two Hufflepuffs enjoyed the weather and the aftereffects that Quidditch gave them.

"Oh!" Meghan hissed. "Here comes the other team."

Ginny sat up, wondering who it was. She froze when she saw the group walking towards them. It was the Gryffindor team. And, in the lead, was James Potter. The five Gryffindors walked straight to Meghan and Ginny.

"Tryouts for you are done, dear Hufflepuffs," James said, grinning. "Time to get off the pitch- Hey!"

James, who hadn't noticed Ginny, had just turned his eyes to her. They stared at each other and Ginny's eyes grew wide. She had thought the chance of running into any of the Marauders now that classes were over was slim. Apparently she had been wrong.

"You're on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team?" James asked.

"Damn right!" Meghan answered for the befuddled Ginny. "Have a problem with it, Potter?"

Sirius, who had been talking to one of the other Gryffindors, decided whatever was being said between James and the Hufflepuffs were more important and walked up to his best mate. A look of shock passed over his face when he looked at Ginny. Meghan watched this, curious. James and Sirius shared a quick look before turning their attention to Ginny.

Sirius looked perfectly calm but James was showing some emotion. He looked strangely sheepish and he was rubbing the back of his neck with the hand that wasn't holding his broom. What was going on? Ginny pulled her legs closer to her body and looked at Meghan, who was watching the boys with wonder on her face.

"Can we talk to you?" Sirius finally asked.

Ginny shook her head right away without even realizing she did so.

"It will be real quick," James promised.

"Going to try to steal her away?" Meghan asked Sirius sweetly.

Sirius shot her a glare before looking back to Ginny expectedly. James glanced behind him and made a motion for her to hurry and stand up.

"Tryouts are going to be starting soon," James pleaded. "We just need to talk."

"No," Ginny said simply. She didn't want to see them; she had determined it would be best if she ignored them. And if she were to go to talk to them anything could happen and Ginny didn't _want _anything to happen. Ginny shook her head stubbornly again.

Sirius growled, not accepting her answer, and grabbed her arm. She cried out, for he had grabbed her exactly where James had earlier bruised her, but Sirius took no notice. He pulled her to her feet and she stumbled into his chest. James was shaking his head at his best friend's antics.

"Padfoot." James sighed and Ginny struggled to get Sirius to let go of her.

"Hey!" Meghan cried out. "Let her go, she doesn't want to talk to you-"

"Shut up," Sirius snapped. "Come on, Ginny, it won't take long."

Ginny blinked, surprised that Sirius remembered her name. She quickly began to struggle again once the shock wore out. Sirius, though, continued to hold her arm and began to drag her away from the group. James followed the two of them, looking as though they were going about the whole thing the wrong way. When they were finally a good distance away, Sirius released Ginny and she fell to the ground with a loud groan.

"Ah, shit, sorry!" Sirius said.

Right away, Sirius bent down and pulled Ginny to her feet. This time, though, he had taken her by her hand and was much gentler about pulling her up. No one spoke for a while as Ginny stared disbelievingly at the two boys. What the bloody hell was going on? And… why weren't they saying anything?

"I suppose there is a point to this?" Ginny snapped before she could help it.

She was too angry at the boys to feel hopeless and upset at being near them.

"Yes!" Sirius answered the same time James said, "Yeah!"

When she continued to stare at them, waiting for their response, James finally groaned, rubbing his face.

"What we wanted to say was…" James swallowed.

He didn't continue and Ginny, feeling herself become edgy, shrugged.

"Okay, well that was a very fulfilling conversation." Ginny suddenly began walking towards Meghan, who was standing a good distance away and was watching the scene.

Before Ginny could walk past James, though, he threw out his arm to stop her. It succeeded and she faltered in her steps.

"What do you want?" Ginny asked and when Sirius looked her in the eye she realized what was going on.

----------------

Author's Note: And there are the Marauders! Woo hoo! What do they need to say to Ginny? Well, you'll find out with the next chapter. Thank you for your reviews and I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Also Ginny's Crookshanks _is_ Hermione's Crookshanks too, just in case any of you were curious over that.

Until the next chapter (which may take longer to come out)… goodbye! Review! Love you, thank you!


	6. Chapter Six

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Six_

_Only Chance_

They were trying to apologize to her. Ginny didn't know how to react to this information that forced itself inside of her head. She knew she was right; it explained why James was so sheepish and why Sirius was so quiet. Apologizing was something they weren't use to, Ginny assumed.

"Look…" Ginny began slowly but Sirius waved an impatient hand at her.

"Prongs-"

"We're sorry," James said, cutting Sirius off. "We acted a bit like fools yesterday."

Though she knew they what they were going to say, the words still managed to cause Ginny to feel a bit shocked. James and Sirius were looking at her expectedly and Ginny took her hands off her hips, rubbing self-consciously at her arms. She hoped they couldn't see the bruises on her skin.

"It… it's okay," Ginny whispered to them.

There was an awkward silence and the three of them didn't know what to say.

"We're very protective of each other," James told her. "And you know how devastating it would be if the other students were to find out about Remus' furry little problem."

Ginny cracked a smile at James' words and he seemed to sag in relief that she wasn't very angry at them. When Sirius didn't say anything, James shot him a glare. The dark haired boy sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It was all very rushed," Sirius continued. "We just thought you'd go shouting it to the first person you saw… but, apparently, you have yet to do so and we're grateful for that."

James nodded in agreement and a charming grin slowly curled on Sirius' lips. She nodded, folding her arms across her chest.

"I won't tell," Ginny promised again. "I meant what I said in the corridor. No one will find out. You can trust me."

A feeling of understanding passed between the three. James reached over and patted Ginny appreciably on the arm he hadn't bruised. Sirius' grin had grown and Ginny felt any anger, any sorrow that had come to her disappear. Everything was all right, if only for a moment.

"I think the Gryffindors are starting to arrive," Ginny warned James, who looked behind him quickly.

He cursed when he saw she was right.

"I have two spots to fill," James informed her. "But you're not to know I'm worried about that- you're the enemy!"

James winked to her and Ginny laughed.

"We'll be off then!" James reached out and grabbed her hand. He brushed his lips against her knuckles and Ginny was sure she was about to die.

Such an intimate act coming from someone who looked exactly like Harry was enough to put Ginny's heart on the brink of melting. Ginny looked up at Sirius, for James was obviously expecting his friend to leave with him. Sirius gave her a smile, one that came easily to his face, and bowed.

"It was very lovely to see you again," Sirius said.

The two Gryffindors turned and began towards the many Gryffindors who had shown up for tryouts. Suddenly, though, Sirius came to a halt, reaching out and grabbing James by the arm. Ginny watched, confused, as Sirius turned his head to look back at her. His eyes were calculating.

"Prongs, come here," Sirius muttered.

James followed Sirius back to Ginny, looking just as confused as Ginny felt. Ginny frowned, wondering if she had done something wrong.

"Did I hurt your arm that badly?" asked Sirius.

Ginny clapped her hand over her bruises but James' eyes had been drawn to them the moment Sirius spoke. A horrible blush was coming to Ginny's cheeks and she briefly wondered why she didn't want them to know that they had hurt her.

"No…" James said, his eyes large as he looked back up at Ginny. "The bruises are already formed. They're from yesterday."

"I'm fine," she lied quickly. "Hurt my arm practicing."

In a flash, so quick that Ginny wouldn't have been able to move even if she tried, Sirius grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her arm. The bruising looked much worse now that the boys were staring at it. James was frowning deeply and Sirius had an indescribable look on his face.

"I knew you were lying," Sirius told her. "Because you wouldn't bother hiding a Quidditch battle wound. Every Quidditch player is proud to show off their bruises."

Sirius released her hand and it fell to her side. James looked terribly ashamed.

"We'll make it up to you, James and I," Sirius swore.

"You didn't deserve to be grabbed like _that_," James said.

Shaking her head, Ginny tried to stop their notion of making it up to her.

"It's fine, I don't care," Ginny said.

"If you didn't care you wouldn't have hid it," James responded, sneaking another look at her arm before letting out a sharp breath. "Okay, we have to go to tryouts now."

Ginny nodded, desperate to get them to leave. Walking backwards, James offered her a remorseful gaze.

"I'm sorry," he spoke. "Really, I am."

"I believe you," Ginny whispered.

"We'll make it up to you, Ginny Stiles!" Sirius called and James nodded in agreement.

She stared at him.

"Just nod and say 'My, that would be wicked to have James Potter and Sirius Black in debt to little 'ol me'!"

It took Ginny several long moments to comprehend what had just happened once Sirius and James disappeared into the crowd of their fellow Gryffindors. They had… _apologized_. That alone was enough to make Ginny's breath get caught in her throat. And then they had seen the exact damage they had caused; the bruises on her arm. Both boys promised to make it up to her. Ginny knew that wouldn't be good.

Any hope of that being the last confrontation with the boys was thrown out the window. Sirius was extremely stubborn from what Ginny could remember and she had a feeling James was the same way. Several ludicrous ideas ran through Ginny's head, ways to make the boys believe it was fine if they didn't do anything about making it up to Ginny but the ideas continued to become more unlikely to happen as they formed. This was no good, no good at all…

Ginny sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. Meghan had just jogged over to her, holding both of their broomsticks, and was smiling curiously. It was clear that she wanted to know what had gone on between the three of them but Ginny didn't feel like explaining, especially when she hardly knew Meghan. Offering the younger girl a tired grin, Ginny shrugged.

"They'll be wanting the field," Meghan said.

Together the two girls exited the Quidditch pitch. Ginny's head was still reeling; she wanted to believe that the incident hadn't happened. When Ginny glanced at Meghan she could see the girl was using all her strength to not bring up the boys to Ginny. It took a good fifteen minutes to get back to the Hufflepuff common room. Ginny wanted to… she wanted to…

"I'll see you around, Meghan," Ginny muttered as she walked towards the dormitory staircase.

She wanted to go home before things became more difficult.

---

The girls' dormitory was in a frenzy when Ginny entered it. Amelia was hysterically laughing in the corner of the dormitory, holding a hand over her nose. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and her face was bright red. Dorcas was jumping up and down on Marlene's bed, pointing and shouting something. Marlene was screeching and had a shirt over her nose in the other corner of the dormitory.

Ginny walked in and shut the door before immediately wishing she hadn't done so. A horrid smile filled the dormitory and Ginny knew what it was right away. Her eyes found Crookshanks, who was happily watching the disarray from Ginny's bed. Dorcas, who had heard the door shut, looked over to Ginny.

"Your cat shat all over my bed!" Dorcas screamed.

Amelia was still laughing and Ginny stood still, unsure of what to do. But laughter was beginning to bubble in her and she snorted loudly, which was immediately followed by giggles. Ginny's laughter became more uproarious as the seconds passed and soon Marlene joined her, putting her hands on her knees and giggling madly. Dorcas wasn't amused but begin to chuckle when Ginny proclaimed that she was about to wet her pants.

It took exactly nine minutes for Ginny to get up, pulling out her wand and walking towards Dorcas' bed. Indeed Crookshanks had left a surprisingly large present on the sheets. Waving her wand, the poop disappeared.

"Might want to get a house elf to clean those for you before tonight, though," Ginny said, entertained.

Marlene stood from her spot on the ground and glared at Dorcas.

"Why didn't you tell me I could just wave my wand and it would disappear?" She cried out.

"I didn't _know_ you could do that! I've never had a cat!" Dorcas answered loudly.

Amelia, who finally stood from her spot, walked over to Ginny. She was wiping at her eyes and her cheeks were slowly returning to her normal light skin tone.

"It was pure madness for about ten minutes before you entered." Amelia looked like she was ready to begin laughing again.

"I thought you had trained him!" Dorcas said, finally jumping off of Marlene's bed.

"Crookshanks is trained," Ginny responded. "I guess he decided he liked you a bit more then the rest of us."

Dorcas sent Ginny a frown but it had no real feeling behind it. Crookshanks gave a loud purr from Ginny's bed and Ginny went over to him, laying down next to him.

"How do you get the house elves to come to clean stuff?" Dorcas asked, grabbing a pin from her desk and pulling her bangs back with it. "I don't think I've ever seen a house elf here."

"That's the point of them." Marlene opened her trunk and began to pull out some books and parchment. "I suppose you'll be sleeping without covers tonight… leave the house elves a note on the covers."

Dorcas absently nodded, tugging her covers off her bed. The foul smell was beginning to disappear from the room. Ginny, thinking back on the state of her dormitory when she entered, let out a random laugh.

"Oh!" Dorcas suddenly cried, turning to Ginny. "You've made the Quidditch team!"

Amelia, who had just walked into the bathroom, glanced out and sent Ginny a grin. Ginny smiled and nodded, confirming her place on the team to Marlene and Dorcas. Dorcas began cheering, running over and giving Ginny a hug, and Marlene said her congratulations.

"That's great, really it is," Dorcas said, sitting on the bed next to Ginny. "Did you get along well with the team?"

"Yes, of course," she answered. "They're very good."

"So are the Slytherins, Gryffindors and Ravenclaws though," Marlene muttered, dipping her quill in some ink.

Rolling her eyes, Amelia exited the bathroom. She sat cross legged on her bed and put her chin in her hand.

"Such a lack of confidence," Amelia said. "They are very good but we have a lot of talent on the team this year."

Amelia looked at Ginny.

"Meghan was on reserves last year; we didn't realize she was _this_ good until the end of last year when she had to play. Dai wasn't allowed on the team last year since he was a first year and in the second game last year Dempster had gotten hit in the head with a Bludger sent from the Gryffindors and lost his nerve to play the next game, which lost any chance of us making it to finals."

"Wow," Ginny simply said.

Amelia nodded in agreement before looking at a wizarding clock that sat on the Marlene's desk.

"Dinner!" Amelia scurried out of the dormitory.

Dorcas and Ginny watched her leave before turning to each other with laughing eyes. Marlene snapped her book shut.

"See how much time was wasted over that cat shit?" Marlene muttered. "I have a crazy amount of homework and it's already dinner time!"

Marlene reminded Ginny of a foul-mouthed, fashion loving Hermione. Ginny stood from her bed and Dorcas followed suit.

"Marlene, Marlene," Dorcas murmured. "You always manage to get all your homework done, you always manage to get the best grades in the class _and_ you also manage to keep up with having a boyfriend. I don't think you need to worry."

A smirk came to Marlene's lip and she looked quite smug. Dorcas, who obviously hadn't meant to stroke her friend's ego, rolled her eyes.

"Let's go eat," Ginny stated and the three girls got ready to go to the Great Hall.

---

The Great Hall was beginning to fill with students. A light shower had begun to fall outside and Ginny, who looked up at the ceiling, felt calmed by the gray clouds. The three Hufflepuff girls had met up with Edgar, who was speaking to Arnold, the team's Seeker. Arnold was a fourth year but looked like he was too young to be at Hogwarts. Walking to the Hufflepuff table, the group sat down.

Marlene hardly had time to breathe before Marcus, her Ravenclaw boyfriend, came and stole her away. She shot an obvious wink to Dorcas, who once again rolled her eyes. Ginny wanted to giggle but held it back. Meghan and Dempster came and joined the group. Now that the Quidditch season had started it seemed that the Hufflepuff team decided to sit together. Or, perhaps, it was just for this one dinner.

Either way Ginny didn't really mind. Amelia soon came and sat down, loading what she told them was her second plate of food. Edgar began to chastise his sister.

"Are you sure you're not going to fall off your broom-"

"_Edgar_!"

"And so, today, McGonagall had us turn our desks into pigs!"

"That class was great…"

"Did you hear about that new band?"

Ginny began to scoop food onto her plate, not taking part of any of the conversations but not left out of them either. Dorcas was beginning to mess up Edgar's hair and Ginny briefly wondered if anything would romantic would happen between them. Shaking her head, a silly smile came to her lips. She scooped some potatoes onto her plate and was ready to begin to eat when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

Looking behind her, Ginny's fork fell from her hands and clattered onto the table. Remus was standing behind her, his lips curled upwards and his hands behind his back. Ginny blinked and Remus cleared his throat slightly.

"I was just wondering if I could have a minute of your time?" He asked her, his voice soft.

Ginny looked back to her table to take a moment to collect herself and saw that Meghan was staring at her knowingly. Shrugging, to show she didn't know _what_ Remus wanted, she turned back to said boy. He was still standing with the same stance.

"You're eating…" Remus noticed, a frown coming to his lips. "I suppose this can wait…"

But, when he looked at Ginny, she saw that he didn't want to wait to say whatever he wanted to say. Ginny sighed loudly. She might as well get it over with. Standing from her seat, Ginny offered him a small smile.

"It's fine, my dinner will still be here when I get back," said Ginny.

The grin that came to Remus' face was bright and it made all the scars on his face disappear. Ginny watched in wonder at the transformation. He looked extremely handsome.

Together they walked out of the Great Hall; Remus was leading her. Once they exited the Great Hall, Remus spun around to face Ginny. She stopped, her eyebrows rising. Though she had known what Sirius and James had wanted from her, she had no clue what Remus wanted to say to her. He glanced around the Entrance Hall and, when he saw that no one was around, he looked back at Ginny.

"Thank you," He whispered.

Ginny stared at him.

"For keeping my secret when there's nothing in it for you," Remus continued. "I just thought you should know I'm very thankful. James told me that he and Sirius talked to you today and that you still kept your promise not to tell anyone."

Slowly, Ginny nodded.

"And he said they apologized to you… Did they really?"

Once again, Ginny nodded. When she realized how idiotic she must look, she began to speak.

"They did," She responded.

Remus began to laugh, leaning his back against the wall.

"You must be the first person they've ever apologized to," Remus informed her. "Well, the first person they've apologized to that I haven't made them apologize to. They're learning."

"I think James forced Sirius to apologize," Ginny laughed slightly as she said this.

"I wouldn't be surprised. Both boys grew up never having to apologize but James is changing his ways… for a girl you might have met… But Sirius is just following the actions of James, I think."

A smile bloomed on Ginny's lips. For a moment neither of them spoke and Remus looked up at the ceiling.

"James also told me that… that they hurt you yesterday."

Remus looked down at her and Ginny sighed, tugging at a piece of her bright hair.

"A bit," Ginny admitted.

"May I see?"

Ginny rolled up the sleeves of her shirt so that Remus could see the bruises. He frowned for a second before his face relaxed.

"You do realize you're going to have one of the best days of your life soon," Remus told her.

Curious, Ginny asked why.

"When James Potter and Sirius Black hurt a very pretty young lady they wish to be on the good side of they'll make it up in extraordinary ways… And as you fit into this situation… well, you'll see, I suppose…"

What were they going to do? Ginny was half worried and half excited. Remus noticed the expression on her face and began to chuckle.

"Don't worry, they won't hurt you," Remus assured her.

"It's not being hurt that I'm afraid of," Ginny slowly said.

A questioning look came to Remus but Ginny didn't explain, she _couldn't_ explain.

"That's all I wanted to say," Remus told her. "Thank you."

They held each other's gaze for a moment before Ginny gave Remus a slight nod. She then turned and walked back into the Great Hall. He followed her behind her. The Great Hall seemed overly loud and the students in it seemed a bit too happy. Sharing a parting glance, Remus and Ginny split ways. Ginny walked to the Hufflepuff table and sat down before crying out.

"Who ate my food?"

Dempster gave her a guilty wave.

"Git!" Ginny shouted before grabbing her now empty plate and filling it with food again.

Her group of friends began to laugh at her. Meghan, who Ginny hadn't been paying attention to till the girl cleared her throat pointedly, had a knowing look on her face. Ginny sighed; the girl was too smart for her own good. Biting into her potato, Ginny sent Meghan a sarcastic smile.

"Hungry?" Dorcas asked, amused.

Ginny nodded her head absently, thoughts of what had just happened coming to mind. What was going on? She had decided she wasn't going to befriend the Marauders! Even if the second meeting between them had been more enjoyable, they were still going to…

Her thoughts stopped. What did it matter? She wanted to get to know them and this was her chance. The future was going to happen either way. Ginny could not affect it, she knew that now, and she… she wanted to be friends with Remus, Sirius and James. Though her desire to get to know Pettigrew was much less, Ginny knew that shouldn't stop her from spending time with the Gryffindor boys.

This was her only chance.

---

When the girls returned to the dormitory Dorcas' covers and sheets were missing from her bed. She thanked the house elves loudly before forgiving Crookshanks for ever making the _obvious_ mistake of relieving himself on her bed. Marlene, Dorcas and Ginny began their homework in the dormitory and Amelia spent her time in the common room. Crossing her legs at the ankles, Ginny laid on her stomach, staring down at her Transfiguration homework.

The words were blurred and she blinked, rubbing at her eyes. As much as she wanted to do her homework, and she really did for Transfiguration the next day would be hell if she didn't hand in her essay, she found something itching in her brain. She knew it concerned the Marauders and Ginny had given them enough thought for almost a week. It was time to stop thinking about them and just let whatever happens happen.

Dorcas was humming to herself and Marlene was busy writing. She couldn't figure out what it was that was bugging her, however. Crookshanks curled his body next to Ginny and she began on Transfiguration. When time for bed came that night, after all three girls finished their work, Dorcas climbed into bed with Ginny. Amelia had come in at the exact right time, blowing out all the candles in the room before going to bed. Dorcas and Ginny lay side to side, staring at the canopy.

"Thanks for letting me share your bed tonight," Dorcas whispered huskily.

Ginny began to giggle and Dorcas joined her.

"My cat shat on your bed, Dorcas," Ginny whispered back. "It's the least I could do."

They both continued laughing.

"Shut up!" Marlene shouted, throwing a pillow at the two girls.

The pillow hit Ginny square in the face. She gasped and sat up in her bed, grabbing the pillow. Dorcas was laughing even harder then before. Amelia gave a loud snore from her bed.

"You horrid little girl!" Ginny screeched, throwing the pillow blindly at Marlene.

It was still dark in the room when their pillow fight began. Amelia slept through the whole fight, which was somewhat surprising for the girls were rather loud. Ginny hit Dorcas in the back, causing her to fall to the ground. Dorcas gave a war cry, throwing the pillow back at Ginny.

"I just want to sleep!" Marlene whimpered, dodging a random pillow that was thrown.

Ginny was hiding beside Crookshanks, who was a very helpful partner. His tail would twitch every time a pillow came soaring towards her and she'd be able to dodge it. It was a long while before Dorcas finally called quits. Marlene thanked Merlin and the three girls crawled back into their beds, or in Dorcas' case back in Ginny's bed.

They were tired and Marlene and Dorcas fell asleep right away. For a moment Ginny appreciated the girls' friendship. She closed her eyes, a grin still on her face, as she drifted off.

---

The days following her second meeting with the Marauders were long and hard. Quite suddenly homework had begun to pile up around the sixth years and Ginny was often found spending her free time in the common room. Any free periods she had she was doing homework, comparing answers with Dorcas and Marlene and trying to study for any upcoming tests. Just like in her own time, being able to cast spells without saying them out loud was a priority for the sixth years. Ginny, having learned how to perform incantations without speaking in her own time, had astonished all the professors by her ability to do so on the first try. Edgar promised to begin Quidditch practices the next week.

Once again there was no sign of the Marauders in Ginny's life during these days. She met up with no terrible Slytherins, met no family members and was not put in the awkward situation of seeing someone who was dead in her time. But, just as she realized this as she scribbled the finishing sentence to her Charm's essay, she knew that it would all change very soon… whether she liked it or not.

------------

Author's Note: Here is your sixth chapter. Review and thank you very much for reading. I do have a **simple** request, however. Tomorrow (August 5th) is my birthday. I would love it if I could reach 100 reviews. Thank you so much for reading.

**Rachel: **Well Crookshanks is half Kneazle, so I assumed that by him being so he would live longer since Kneazles are magical creatures.


	7. Chapter Seven

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Seven_

_Move Along_

Classes for the day had just ended. It was Friday and Ginny was very thankful for this. She hadn't been this overwhelmed by homework… ever. In twenty years the professors would be teaching them powerful spells for protection and defense rather then how to transform animals into objects, how to make objects appear out of thin air and other things along those lines. Ginny felt the weekend would help her very much with lowering her amount of work.

"Miss Stiles!"

Turning around, Ginny saw that it was Professor McGonagall who had called her. McGonagall strode up to Ginny, her walk brisk and her face stern. Oh no… Ginny attempted a smile but McGonagall simply raised a thin eyebrow before pulling something out of the pocket of her cloak: a small, orange kitten.

"I assume this is yours?"

Crookshanks glanced up at Ginny and she sighed, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. Taking the kitten from McGonagall's hands, Ginny wondered how she had managed to miss her own kitten sneaking into her Transfiguration class, which she had just left. McGonagall then held out an envelope for Ginny to take. Ginny took the thick envelope and glanced at the front. It was for Professor Slughorn, not her.

"Professor Slughorn's classroom is located in the dungeons. I need you to deliver that letter to him," McGonagall told her.

"I don't have Potions, I've never met him," Ginny weakly objected, wanting to spend her afternoon in relaxation instead of delivering messages from one professor to another.

"Well, Miss Stiles," McGonagall snapped. "I don't have the time to deliver the letter. I'm sure you'll find him easily enough. Now hurry off."

McGonagall looked down at Ginny and Ginny frowned slightly before nodding, knowing she had no way out of it. She knew where Professor Slughorn's classroom was and she hoped it was still the same room as it would be in twenty years. Putting Crookshanks on the floor, Ginny put the letter in her bag.

After giving Hufflepuff ten points for Ginny's forced corroboration, McGonagall turned and went back in the direction she had come from. Crookshanks had scurried off, leaving Ginny in the corridor. Sighing, Ginny set off in the direction of the dungeons.

It didn't take Ginny long to find the dungeons. Though it was her first time stepping into the dungeons since her fifth year, she dropped Potions in her sixth year, she felt the sense of familiarity wash over her. For five years she had walked down these recognizable stairs and into the darkness, ready to have the worst class of the day. Professor Snape was very harsh on her, though she was sure not as harsh as he was on Harry. She had always been surprised that she passed Potions for the year for she was quite terrible at it.

Passing two Slytherins, who glared at her for the intrusion on their area of the castle, Ginny turned the corner to go further into the dungeons. The door to the classroom that Ginny assumed Slughorn was in was wide open and Ginny stepped in gratefully. She looked around, trying to spot the round teacher, and saw him mixing a potion in a cauldron. He glanced up when she took a step closer to him and beamed at her.

"Hello, hello!" He cried out, leaving his potion to boil as he walked over to her.

"Hi," Ginny answered, taking in the difference of looks between the Professor Slughorn she knew and the one in front of her.

Twenty years was a long time, after all.

"I've come to deliver a letter to you from Professor McGonagall," Ginny told him, reaching in her bag and pulling out the envelope.

"Oh, excellent!" Slughorn said, wobbling closer to Ginny and taking the letter from her hands. He turned it over a few times before stuffing it in his pocket. "You don't happen to be Ginny Stiles, do you?"

Ginny blinked before nodding slowly.

"Yes… how'd you know?" Ginny asked.

Slughorn's face lit up with a look Ginny had seen before. In her fifth year, when she had cursed Zacharias Smith with her famous Bat-Bogey Hex, Slughorn had had the same expression on his face as he did now after he witnessed the event. He was impressed with her right now, though Ginny was unsure why he was when all she had done was deliver a letter.

Slughorn waved her over to his potion and Ginny hesitantly followed him. She didn't want to get sucked into his Slug Club, as Harry and Hermione had been, but she knew she couldn't disobey a professor. Standing next to him, Ginny glanced into the cauldron, unable to identify the potion inside of it.

"You're the Hufflepuff who was able to master doing spells without speaking on her _first try_! That is amazing, my dear, absolutely splendid." Ginny fidgeted uncomfortably under his proud gaze. "I had wanted to meet you ever since Professor Sprout told me of you and your accomplishment!"

"It was nothing, really," Ginny said, trying to take the light off of her. "I should be going though-"

"Go? You haven't even asked what potion I'm brewing!" Slughorn cried out, turning to his potion to stir it twice counterclockwise. "Not interested in potions, are you?"

Ginny shook her head no.

"That's a shame," Slughorn told her. "Potion brewing is an art."

"I had a bad teacher," Ginny said, trying not to sneer at the thought of Snape.

"Yes, yes… I suppose it does count on the professor. Well I shall speak to you later, Miss Stiles! It was a pleasure to meet you!" Slughorn shook her hand and gave Ginny a bright smile.

A sense of dread washed over Ginny. He was already trying to pull her in. She quickly took her hand back when it didn't seem rude and sent him a quick, false smile. Turning on her heel, Ginny exited the classroom. The corridor was still dark but there was no one in it. Rushing away from the classroom, Ginny turned the corner before stopping. Black eyes stared her.

"You're the girl…"

Ginny sucked in a deep breath at the sight of the boy in front of her. Severus Snape watched her with an almost unbearable gaze.

"The girl?" Ginny asked, alarmed.

"You heard what was said and you didn't tell anyone?" Snape hissed, advancing from his side of the corridor toward her.

Stepping back, Ginny reached into her pocket. Her wand lay there but she wouldn't use it unless absolutely necessary.

"I decided to trust them instead of you," Ginny responded.

Snape's face darkened and Ginny's throat became dry.

"And what did they tell you? That it was a lie?" Snape questioned.

They were now quite close and Ginny resisted the urge to step back. Though she was a Hufflepuff now, she was originally a Gryffindor and her bravery and pride would not let her take that step. Snape seemed to realize this.

"You're a Slytherin… was I suppose to trust you?" she answered.

It was in a flash that she realized her words had put her in serious trouble. She now felt like the first year who handed in a bad essay during Potion's class. He looked intimidating and sinister. Ginny gasped as he stepped so close to her that she had to look up to see his eyes.

"Stiles," he hissed, grabbing her harshly by the chin. "You may want to watch what you say to me."

His grip on her chin hurt and her anger boiled. What was with her being manhandled these days? Before she knew what she was doing, Ginny pulled back her arm, balling her hand into a fist. She let her hand fly at him, hitting him right in the eye, and he hissed, taking a few steps back. Snape pulled out his wand at a surprising speed, however, and she whipped hers out.

Their possible duel was interrupted, though, by a shout from a girl.

"Severus!"

An emotion flickered over Snape's face and he lowered his wand, looking towards the girl who had spoken. Ginny didn't pocket her own wand, knowing the ways of Slytherins and wary that he was tricking her. Glancing at the girl also, Ginny raised her eyebrows. It was a Gryffindor… and the Head Girl.

"What's going on here?" The girl snapped, her eyes burning angrily.

But Snape didn't answer her. He didn't even bother to look at Ginny as he stalked past the Head Girl. Surprised, Ginny and the girl shared a look, though the girl seemed more suspicious of Ginny then she did of Snape. The Head Girl followed Snape, disappearing into the darkness of the dungeon, leaving Ginny alone in the corridor.

---

As Ginny rushed back to the Hufflepuff common room all she wanted to do was tell her friends of her encounter with Snape. But she knew she couldn't. If she were to tell Dorcas or Marlene about Snape they would ask what she knew that he was so mad about and she couldn't tell them that. The fact that she had to be quiet about the git made Ginny even angrier and, so lost in her thoughts, she didn't see the two boys outside of the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room.

Saying the password, she was ready to enter when laughter pierced through her annoyed thoughts. Ginny looked behind her and her eyes grew wide. She almost tripped into the common room but she caught herself. Sirius and James were still laughing at her when she went to see what they wanted.

"We've waited for you for almost an hour!" James told her, grinning. "And then you walk right past us even when we call your name."

She folded her arms defensively across her chest, frowning at the two Gryffindors.

"What has your knickers in such a bunch?" Sirius asked her.

"Slytherins," Ginny told them and they nodded in understanding.

"They are nasty things, aren't they?" James was amused as he said this.

When Ginny didn't respond she was sure an awkward silence would follow. Instead, though, James just pushed his glasses up his nose before continuing to talk.

"We're here to fulfill our debt!" He cried out cheerfully.

"What?" Ginny blinked, confused.

"We told you we'd make it up to you," Sirius said. "And here we are."

She was still silent but the two boys didn't seem to care.

"We have a fantastic-"

"Brilliant-"

"Superb-"

"Night planned for you," Sirius finished, grinning, more at ease around Ginny then he's ever been before.

"Really?" she asked, doubtful. "I'm not sure I'm in the mood…"

"Oh, of course you are," James told her, positive of his words. "You have no way of getting out of this."

"But I have a load of homework-"

"So do we!" Sirius answered.

Ginny fidgeted before sighing. They took this as admission.

"Now go change and put your things away. Around curfew we'll be back to get you," James told her.

She stared at him.

"What are we going to be doing tonight?"

James and Sirius shared a look. Then Sirius leaned towards Ginny,

"We're going to Hogsmeade." His whispered words caused the hairs on Ginny's neck to stand.

Excitement came to Ginny before she could stop it and a smile spread across her lips before she knew that she even wanted to smile. Both boys seemed pleased with this. She entered the common room feeling much better then before.

---

By the time curfew rolled around Ginny had finished all her Transfiguration homework. Marlene had arrived in the common room just as Ginny slammed her text book shut and Dorcas and Ginny looked up at the dark haired girl in glee. She looked like she just had the snog of her life.

"Find a good broom cupboard to snog in, did you?" Dorcas asked, making kissy faces up at Marlene.

Marlene rolled her eyes, falling onto the couch next to Ginny and Dorcas.

"As a matter of fact, yes, I did," Marlene answered, a small grin causing her cheeks to blush. "Conner is a great kisser-"

"Conner!" Ginny yelled. "Are you cheating on Marcus?"

For a moment Dorcas and Ginny stared at Marlene with incredulous expressions on their face before she shook her head.

"I didn't cheat on Marcus," Marlene said. "We broke up."

"What?" Dorcas asked, shocked. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"It only happened a few hours ago," The girl told them, shrugging carelessly.

"Who broke up with who?" Dorcas had her eyes on Marlene's face, trying to detect any emotions that could cause distress.

"Dorcas, does it really matter-"

"Yes!" She cried out.

"_He_ broke up with me for his _studies_!" Marlene shouted, suddenly exploding in anger. "That giant idiot, that git, that ass-"

"You deserve better," Ginny said soothingly.

Marlene stared at Ginny for a long second, as if seeing her for the first time, before her eyebrows furrowed, her anger gone. Dorcas was stomping around, now cursing Marcus as Marlene had been only a second ago.

"James Potter and Sirius Black are waiting in the corridor for you," Marlene told her. "Why are you meeting up with them?"

Dorcas stopped her stride around the common room, her interest peaked.

"I- well," Ginny uneasily said. "We're friends?"

"Why'd you make that a question?" Dorcas asked, entertained.

"I didn't!" The red head responded. "I have to go. Meet them."

"Well have fun," Marlene said, her eyes following Ginny as she stood up.

"Don't get caught, it's after curfew," Dorcas warned.

"Really, Dorcas, she's with two of the most mischievous boys Hogwarts has ever seen and one of them is the Head Boy. Ginny has no worries."

Ginny rushed out of the common room, not wishing to get caught with Marlene and Dorcas' questions. When she stepped into the corridor, though, there was no one there. Did they leave? Glancing around, Ginny frowned and was about to turn to go back in when the head of James materialized in front of her. She jumped but did not scream, having seen Harry pull the same trick many times before.

Sirius' head appeared next to him and then they appeared fully, having pulled off the cloak. Ginny raised her eyebrows at them.

"We were hoping for a better reaction then that," James admitted, mockingly sad.

"Sorry to disappoint," Ginny responded cheekily.

Sirius gave a loud laugh and James grinned. Holding up the cloak, James glanced up and down the corridor before walking closer to Ginny.

"We're going to use a tunnel to get to Hogsmeade," James told her. "But you can't know where this tunnel is-"

"Why not?" Ginny cut in, indignant.

James and Sirius were both smirking.

"Quite a temper you have," Sirius commented.

She narrowed her eyes at him but he ignored it. James answered her question.

"Only four people know about it," he told her. "Us- the Marauders. We don't want it spreading around."

"And we know you can't trust _me_ with secrets," Ginny told him.

Once again Sirius began to laugh. Apparently the two boys didn't mind her sarcastic tongue and her quick temper. This caused Ginny to feel more at ease and she decided to let the situation pass. After all, they hardly knew her and she couldn't expect to be trusted fully.

"Fine, let's go before a professor comes along," she said.

"Here, here!" Sirius responded loudly.

James pulled out a piece of cloth and asked Ginny to turn around. When she did so he placed the piece of cloth over her eyes, tying the ends in a knot at the back of her head. With his hands on her shoulders, he turned her in to where she assumed Sirius was.

"Now my invisibility cloak is only so big," James informed her. "So you and Sirius are going to have to walk in the open-"

"What! How am I suppose to know you won't leave me somewhere?" Ginny went to tug the cloth off of her eyes but James, or she assumed it was James, slapped her hand away.

"We plan on taking you to Hogsmeade, not leave you in some corridor. You have to trust us too, you know," James said to her.

She sighed, lowering her hands to her sides reluctantly.

"Prongs- James will be keeping watch ahead of us. If someone comes we'll hide."

Nodding, Ginny took a step forward before stopping. She was placing a lot of trust in James and Sirius but she had a feeling that they wouldn't leave her somewhere. Her fear at being caught by a professor was still there, though.

"Come on." Ginny sucked in a deep breath in shock when a warm hand took a hold of hers. "Just be quiet when we begin walking and I'll lead you."

"Okay," she whispered.

Sirius pulled on her hand and she followed him wherever he led her. Naturally Ginny had kept some distance between them but, when she hit the corner of a wall painfully and yelped, Sirius tugged her closer to him. Her side was pressed up against his, her hand still in his, and he was chuckling in the back of his throat. Ginny felt like this act, him leading her when she couldn't see, was strangely intimate and could feel her cheeks burning a bit.

The corridors were quiet and, Ginny guessed, empty. Her and Sirius' footsteps were the only thing she could hear, though she did hear the murmur of an occasional portrait. They turned many corners, entering new corridors, and walked through a few doors to get to where they needed to go. When Ginny was sure that Sirius and James were just leading her around randomly she heard Sirius' voice.

"We're right there-"

"Padfoot! McGonagall!" James' hurried words caused Ginny's breath to get caught in her throat.

Oh no, they were going to get caught. And by _McGonagall_! Ginny was about to yank the cloth off of her eyes when Sirius suddenly let go of her hand, grabbing onto her forearm and dragging her to one of the walls. She heard the rustling of cloth, James' intake of breath, and knew that she and Sirius were now under the invisibility cloak. Her chest was pressed against Sirius' and his hand was still on her forearm.

"James Potter!" McGonagall.

"Professor McGonagall! What a pleasure to meet up with you-"

Ginny felt a rumble in Sirius' chest, letting her know that he was trying not to laugh.

"What are you doing out in the corridors at this time of night? I should give you a detention! It is past curfew, if you didn't realize. And you are a seventh year! Do I really still have to punish you like you're a first year?"

"Minerva," James tried to say soothingly but was unable to finish whatever he was going to say.

"I am your professor, Mr. Potter, not your friend and you are to remember that," McGonagall growled.

Ginny wished she could see. The scene would have been very funny, she was sure, if Ginny felt she wasn't at risk of being caught and given detention (and she was sure she'd feel better if she had her sight back).

"I'm Head Boy," James told her as if she didn't know. "I'm doing rounds tonight."

"Rounds?" McGonagall asked doubtfully, sounding as though she had indeed forgotten James was Head Boy.

"Yes, professor," James answered.

"Miss Evans is doing rounds tonight, I assumed, since I just saw her down the corridor coming this way."

"Really?" James asked, a happy note of surprise entering his voice. "I didn't know. I suppose we're both such good leaders that we forgot to tell each other that we'd would be doing rounds tonight."

There was a moment of silence but Ginny was sure she could _hear_ McGonagall trying to see if James was lying.

"On with it, then," McGonagall said.

Her footsteps were heard before completely disappearing. Ginny let out a sigh of relief as Sirius began to chuckle, throwing the cloak off of them. He gave her some space, taking a hold of her hand once again and pulling her towards James.

"Very good, mate," Sirius said. "Let's go-"

"Lily is coming this way though! Oh, here she is, hide!" Ginny frowned when the cloak was once again thrown over her and Sirius.

"Prongs-" Sirius groaned out his friend's nickname.

"Quiet!" James ordered.

"Potter?" came a call and Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. The voice was one Ginny recognized, though she couldn't place it. "What are you doing?"

"Dangerous, life threatening things," James answered coolly. "Want to join me?"

"No," The Head Girl said shortly, sounding very close to them.

It was then, when Ginny realized it was the Head Girl, that Ginny yanked down the cloth to stare at her. Sirius made a sound and the Head Girl snapped her head towards where they were hidden. The Head Girl's green eyes stared suspiciously at the area before turning back to James. Ginny was having trouble breathing… Was that… Harry's mum?

"What are you really doing?" She asked.

"Going to Hogsmeade," James answered.

Sirius gave a soft curse under his breath. The Head Girl was staring at James in utmost surprise.

"You can't go to Hogsmeade, you're Head Boy!"

"You can come with me," James offered again.

A second passed where Ginny could tell the Head Girl was actually considering it when she suddenly cried out no. James frowned in disappointment.

"I should report you," the Head Girl told him.

"Yes, I know," James said. "But you have rounds to finish."

James sounded a bit bitter and the Head Girl seemed to realize this. They stared at each other for a moment before the Head Girl walked around James, leaving him. Just like McGonagall's, her footsteps eventually disappeared and Sirius, once again, threw the invisibility cloak off of him and Ginny. He walked straight to James.

"Mate, you have to get it into your bloody thick skull that she doesn't like you," Sirius told him.

"Oh, shut up," James snapped before his eyes darted to Ginny's. "You took off the cloth!"

"Yes, well, I didn't like being shoved repeatedly and blindly out of the way of danger," she said.

The three students were quiet before James turned to a statue that Ginny hadn't noticed. Ginny watched as he tapped his wand against it and whispered "Smarmy". When the statue moved to the side, Ginny was shocked to see that it covered a hole in the floor. James turned to her.

"It's a bit of a drop," he said. "So brace yourself before you land."

Ginny nodded and licked her lips.

"I'll go first." Sirius lit the tip of his wand before jumping into the dark hole.

She heard him land and could see the light from his wand. James gave her an encouraging nod, seeming to have forgotten his encounter with the Head Girl. Ginny copied Sirius and jumped into the dark hole. The light became brighter as Ginny fell and she braced herself. When her feet hit the ground, Sirius reached out and helped her steady herself. Giving him a grateful smile, Ginny stepped out of the way for James to jump down.

The Head Boy landed beside her a second later and, when he too was steady, pointed his wand up to the ceiling of the tunnel. He repeated the name 'Smarmy' and the statue slowly moved back into place, over the hole. Now the only light was the light from Sirius' wand. Pulling out her own wand, Ginny lit it. James did the same.

"Ready, Ginny?" James asked.

She nodded.

"Ever been to Hogsmeade?" Sirius questioned her as they began to walk.

"Yes," Ginny answered. "But it's been a while."

"We found this passage in our second year," James told her. "We've been doing regular visits there ever since then. The shopkeepers don't mind and have never told Dumbledore that he has students wondering around randomly."

Ginny grinned.

"Quite the mischief makers, aren't you?" She asked teasingly.

Sirius and James looked at each other before deciding, silently, that they would let her know of some of their pranks and adventures. It was, after all, a very long walk to Hogsmeade and they were sure Ginny would appreciate their stories.

The walk felt as though it was only five minutes long. Ginny hadn't laughed that hard since she had seen Fred and George over the summer before her sixth year and she felt as if the two boys were indeed her two twin brothers. She felt comfortable with them and was now glad she decided she'd move along and try to get to know them.

---------------------

Author's Note: I hope this chapter is satisfying. It's not as good as I'd hope it would be… but I just wrote it and it matters more if you guys like it. Thank you all for the wishes of happy birthday, I did indeed enjoy myself a lot. Also thank you for all the reviews!


	8. Chapter Eight

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Eight_

_Misbehaving Students_

"Do you know how dangerous it is to be wandering around without the supervision of the professors?"

Rosmerta's sharp tone caught Ginny, James, and Sirius by surprise. They had exited the tunnel and walked straight to the Three Broomsticks with hopes of getting a hot Butterbeer. Outside it was cold and the streets were empty. Ginny had felt a strange sense of fear at the sight of the dark streets, having never been at Hogsmeade during the night, and rushed to get inside the pub. Before they entered the pub, James and Sirius had assured Ginny that Rosmerta wouldn't care that they had stopped by but their words were proven false.

The witch Ginny could hardly believe was Rosmerta, though she was just as pretty as she would be in twenty years, had immediately taken them to the furthest corner of the pub as though they were misbehaving children- which they were, in all reality. Sirius and James looked shocked while Ginny was curious.

"We never quite followed the rules-" James began, a flirtatious note in his voice that Ginny had never heard before.

"Yes, well now is _not_ the time to be searching for trouble!" Rosmerta said, putting her hands on her hips.

"We're not searching for trouble, dear Rosmerta," Sirius said charmingly.

Rosmerta's stern face didn't waver.

"How many times have I heard that from you two?" she asked them.

Rosmerta was frowning disapprovingly at the boys. It seemed that Rosmerta hadn't quite realized that Ginny was there also. After a moment Rosmerta took a deep breath and glanced around the pub. Then she took them to an empty table that was nearby and had them sit. Taking their order, she turned to leave and get the Butterbeers. She stopped mid-step.

"I have a bad feeling about you three being out tonight…"

James grinned.

"We can protect ourselves," he told her.

"But how do I protect myself from the wrath of Dumbledore if he were to find out I knew you three were roaming around Hogsmeade and I didn't tell him about it, especially if something were to happen to you?"

Without waiting for their answer, Rosmerta turned and walked away. Ginny raised her eyebrows at James and Sirius when they turned their attention to her.

"I think she's right," Ginny said. "Perhaps we should leave."

"Leave? We just got here!" Sirius bared his teeth in a smile. "Don't take her words to heart."

"I don't know," Ginny muttered, remembering the fear she felt at the sight of the dark Hogsmeade. "I have a bad feeling too-"

"Merlin!" Sirius cried out. "Do you really think bloody Deatheaters are going to attack Hogsmeade at ten o'clock at night when no one is out?"

"_We're _out right now and so are the rest of the witches and wizards here!" responded Ginny, waving her hand at the tables filled with people. "What makes you think you know what the Deatheaters are going to do anyway?"

James, seeing the fight that was about to occur, tried to stop Sirius from answering but his friend just shrugged him off, his heated eyes on Ginny and Ginny only. Ginny frowned, her own eyes narrowing. Who did Sirius think he was to just throw away Rosmerta's warnings? That could get him killed one day- it would, actually, get him killed one day. Instead of staying safe at number 12 Grimmauld Place he didn't listen to Dumbledore's orders and ran off.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Sirius asked, his words coming out as a growl.

"Exactly what you think it means," Ginny hissed. "Deatheaters are mad and will do things we'd never think they'd do!"

With her words Sirius began to laugh. His laughter caused Ginny to suck in a deep breath, more to calm herself than anything else.

"Ginny, Padfoot, that will do!" James said, managing to stop the fight from continuing. "Everyone can hear you two fighting."

Sirius frowned before nodding, showing that he agreed to end the fight. Ginny simply leaned back in her seat, feeling the itch of being uncomfortable come over her. Maybe she was overreacting but she knew the destruction Voldemort's minions would cause and have caused. They didn't understand and, from Sirius' carelessness about Deatheaters, Ginny could see that. Soon, though, they would understand.

Just as James sighed, Rosmerta appeared, placing a Butterbeer in front of each of the students. She appeared slightly more relaxed and had a guilty expression on her face. Apparently she had been listening in on the fight between Sirius and Ginny. Ginny grabbed her drink and took a sip, allowing the warmth to spread through her body. Relaxing slightly, she looked up at Rosmerta.

"How are your drinks?" The older witch asked.

A smile came to Sirius' lips easily, as though he hadn't just been fighting. His eyes, though, still seemed a bit dark from anger. Ginny turned away from Sirius, frowning.

"Delicious, my dear," Sirius said, reaching out to take one of her hands. "Just as delicious as you are."

Rosmerta began to smile when Sirius kissed her knuckles.

"Forgiven, are we?" James questioned, his voice teasing and his eyes sparkling.

"Of course." Rosmerta laughed. "How could I be mad at my two favorite boys and… oh! Where have my manners gone to? In all the rush of seeing you three… I'm Rosmerta."

Ginny introduced herself to the woman she already knew from her many visits to Hogsmeade as a child.

"It's very nice to meet you. These boys need a girl to keep them in line."

"Keep in line!" Sirius asked, his voice holding fake outrage, though it sounded nothing as his voice did only minutes ago. "Now, dear Rosmerta, you cannot be serious. I thought you loved us-"

"And I do," She answered. "But I'm sure you're both heartbreakers back at Hogwarts, especially from what I can remember…"

Sirius and James were grinning cheekily.

"Hogwarts does miss you so," Sirius told her.

Rosmerta began to laugh again, shaking her head at them. She then looked away from their table, her laughter stopping and a shocked expression coming to her face. Ginny turned in her seat to see what had caught Rosmerta's eyes and gasped when she saw who had just walked through the door. Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Slughorn and Professor Sprout had come into the Three Broomsticks.

Ginny snapped her head to look at Sirius and James but saw they were gone. She gasped when something suddenly tugged her down from her seat, under the table. Her head hit the table when she tried to straighten her back and she cursed. Stopping, Ginny rolled her eyes at the grinning faces of James and Sirius.

"This is impossible," she whispered. "What are the chances of all four Head of Houses coming to the Three Broomsticks while we're here?"

Ginny's words caused Sirius to give out a bark of laughter. James elbowed his friend sharply in the side and pointed towards a group of feet walking towards the table. It was surely the professors' and Ginny felt an odd burning in her stomach. She was going to get caught out of Hogwarts without permission when Professor Dumbledore had so graciously allowed her to stay in his school.

"My, that laugh sounded familiar." Professor Sprout.

The feet stopped right in front of their table and James grabbed Ginny's shoulder, pulling her closer to him and Sirius, who were further away from the teachers.

"Very familiar," Professor McGonagall said sharply. "Like Sirius Black."

Rosmerta's glittery high heels stepped closer to the four pairs of feet.

"Come, come," Rosmerta said, sounding out of breath and anxious. "I have a table for you four further back."

The feet began to move away from the table and then disappeared from view, going to the other side of the pub. Wasting no time, Sirius grabbed Ginny's wrist and darted out from under the table. James followed right behind them and they ran out of the Three Broomsticks, giving Rosmerta a wave goodbye when she glanced over at them.

Ginny reached back and grabbed onto James' sleeve, pulling him towards her as they sprinted into the shadows of a building. When they were sure they were out of view Sirius let go of Ginny and Ginny let go of James. They stood in the shadows in silence for a moment before Ginny began laughing, covering her mouth with her hands. She leaned her back against the building and continued to laugh. It took only a moment of Ginny's contagious laughter to affect Sirius and James and they soon joined her.

"Perhaps we should leave," Ginny suggested to the boys again when they all stopped laughing.

"Never!" James responded. "You haven't properly enjoyed yourself yet."

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Well I'd rather not have a detention," she informed them.

Sirius grinned at her. Apparently their fight was already forgotten to him and, because of that, she relaxed considerably. She did not want him to be angry at her and she didn't want to be angry at him.

"We've got quite a lot planned tonight," Sirius told her. "We've still got to stop by Zonko's before the owners leave the place for the night."

"Then we'll stop by the Shrieking Shack…" James and Sirius shared an amused look before turning their attention back to Ginny.

She had her eyebrows raised. Did they really expect her to be scared of the Shrieking Shack? Even when she was younger and didn't know that it had been Remus who went to the shack for his transformations she hadn't been frightened. She thought it rather stupid to be frightened of a building that hadn't been inhabited by ghosts for, well, almost twenty years. Then she learned of the truth of the Shrieking Shack and found herself even more entertained.

"Am I suppose to be scared?" she asked them dryly.

James snuck his head out of the shadows and glanced up and down the streets of Hogsmeade. With his nod of approval, the three students walked out of the shadows and began towards Zonko's Joke Shop.

"Not afraid!" Sirius cried out, leaning his face close to Ginny's. "Miss Stiles, are you sure you're a Hufflepuff?"

Ginny smirked then began to giggle and James joined her. Sirius leaned his head away from her, his eyebrows rising.

"What do you think inhabits the shack then?" Sirius asked her, grinning.

Shrugging, Ginny decided to play with their minds a bit. She knew things that they didn't know she knew and they thought they were extremely clever… so why not play a bit of a joke on them?

"Not a rough crowd of ghosts," Ginny answered. "Perhaps Peeves goes there and messes around, screeching and destroying objects. Or maybe… maybe your friend Remus visits there once a month."

She made her tone light and joking but she saw James and Sirius stiffen in shock. Sirius was the first to recover, a grin coming to his lips. He threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him.

"Have an active imagination, don't you?" Sirius tugged on a piece of her hair.

Ginny swatted his hand away before stepping out from under his arm.

"Not as active as yours," Ginny responded sweetly. "Making a boy's head swell twice its original size before a Quidditch match against his team… How do you come up with that stuff?"

"Pure talent," James said, pleased with the compliment. "We also have much time to muse new pranks in our many detentions."

"Surely you won't use any of those pranks against me before the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff match?" Ginny asked, making her eyes go wide with innocence.

Sirius begin to chuckle.

"Surely," He answered her, giving her a wink.

She grinned and their conversation stopped as they stepped in front of Zonko's shop. The lights were out. Apparently the owners had already left. James muttered a soft 'damn' and Sirius sighed loudly.

"Off to the Shrieking Shack, then, even though someone-" Sirius pointed a finger at Ginny. "-isn't frightened of it?"

James nodded seriously when Ginny smiled.

"Of course, of course," he said to Sirius.

They started through the streets again, this time taking a path that led away from the town. Ginny looked up at the dark sky, taking in the stars and the half moon. It was a beautiful night even though Ginny still felt an occasional chill run up and down her back.

"We're having a contest with the Prewitt twins," James spoke, filling the silence.

"A contest?"

A dozen butterflies seemed to have escaped into Ginny's stomach at James' words. Her uncles! How could she have forgotten about her twin uncles? She had been so distracted, so busy with homework, that seeking them out from the large amount of Hogwarts students had completely left her mind.

James nodded, seeming to think her interest was for the contest rather then the mention of the Prewitt twins.

"It's me and Sirius against Fabian and Gideon; those are the twins," He informed her. "It's to get as many detentions as possible before the end of this year."

Ginny blinked, surprised.

"Are they much of trouble makers?"

"Not the way we are," Sirius cut in. "They're wicked at causing havoc with the Slytherins though. They fight more Slytherins then we have ever and get detentions for it all the time. They're quite brilliant with hexes."

Ginny tilted her head, wishing to know more on her uncles. Her eyes connected with Sirius' and she studied him for a second. He looked so different from the Sirius she knew… he was so young and carefree… so handsome.

"Aren't you Head Boy?" Dragging her eyes away from Sirius', Ginny looked at James. "How are you suppose to get that many detentions without having to step down from the position?"

James sent her a large smile.

"Dumbledore knows of our contest," James said, nodding to himself. "I told him that I'd only be able to accept if he'd look over the fact that I would be getting a ton of detentions…"

"And he let you be Head Boy still?" Ginny asked, shocked. She began to giggle when James nodded. "That's ridiculous!"

"Isn't it? But he told me I couldn't back out of a contest, especially with the Prewitt twins, who would never let me live it down."

The trees that loomed over the three students suddenly cleared away as the boarded up Shrieking Shack came into view. Walking up to the fence that surrounded the shack, Ginny, Sirius and James stared at the shack.

"How many detentions do we have now, anyway, Padfoot?"

"Not too many but I don't think they have that many either… Aren't we on our sixth detention?"

"Sixth? I thought we just did our fourth last week!"

"I've been keeping count, James."

Ginny looked away from Sirius and James as they continued to talk, her eyes drifting towards the trees. A soft wind was blowing and the glow from the moon caused everything to look almost ancient. Looking from the trees to the path, Ginny froze. Though it was dark Ginny was sure of what she saw… a hooded figure was coming towards them, not yet emerged from the path. Whoever it was would have definitely seen them and Ginny feared that it was not a professor or a random witch or wizard.

"Sirius," Ginny croaked.

A rush of adrenaline hit Ginny.

"There's someone coming!"

Sirius and James looked to where Ginny was looking before also going into a moment of shock. They seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Ginny, that perhaps this hooded person was a Deatheater, and the three reacted as one. Jumping over the fence, they ran towards the Shrieking Shack. Ginny had pulled her wand out and James and Sirius were doing the same as a shout sounded.

"Potter! Stop!"

Ginny stumbled to a halt. The voice was feminine and Ginny knew who it belonged to right away. James stopped running and turned around, a bewildered expression on his face. Sirius' mouth was dropped open in shock as he too turned to look at the hooded figure. Running towards the three students, the hooded figure stopped at the fence before allowing the hood to the cloak to drop.

Lily Evans stood before them, frowning. Nobody moved until Lily spoke again.

"Get your arse over here, Potter!"

Ginny looked at Sirius and James, who were staring at each other.

"Is that-"

"Yes."

"But…"

"Why is _Evans_ here?"

Slowly James began towards Lily. Sirius and Ginny hesitated for a moment before following him. James was searching Lily's face in confusion and surprise and Lily looked mildly uncomfortable.

"What are you doing here?" James asked.

Lily raised an eyebrow, pursing her lips. James sighed and jumped the fence. Silently, Sirius and Ginny copied his actions. Sirius didn't stay silent for long though.

"I never thought I'd see the day Lily Evans would sneak out of Hogwarts to come join in on some mischief!" Sirius said.

"I did not sneak out to cause mischief!" Lily snapped. "I came to warn you that the professors were coming to Hogsmeade."

There was absolute silence after her words. Even Ginny, who hardly knew Lily, knew this was something the auburn haired girl would not normally do.

"Why would you do that?" asked James, his voice strained.

Lily sighed.

"Do you know how many points Gryffindor would lose for your stupidity? I'm Head Girl; I'm suppose to stop trouble from occurring!"

Ginny's eyes narrowed in thought at Lily's words. Though the boys might have believed what the Head Girl said, Ginny did not. She could see the way Lily's cheeks flushed at James' question and how she had shifted her weight awkwardly. Quickly, Ginny tried to remember what Harry had said on his parents and their relationship.

"_My mum didn't like my dad at first… But they started dating in their seventh year, that's what Sirius and Lupin told me… They got married right out of Hogwarts."_

"Well good thing you're here," Sirius began, sounding extremely grateful, distracting Ginny from her thoughts. "Now if we get caught it's not only the Head Boy that will be in trouble but the Head Girl too!"

Lily's mouth dropped open, whether in shock or anger Ginny wasn't sure.

"How'd you even get here without the professors seeing you?" James asked, running a hand through his hair as he stared at Lily.

"The same way you got here," Lily answered, sounding disapproving. "The statue. I watched you go through it and was heading back to the common room when I heard Professor McGonagall with Professor Sprout, Professor Slughorn and Professor Flitwick."

The four students didn't speak. Ginny was biting her lip as she stared at the other girl. Lily Evans was someone Ginny didn't quite understand. She didn't punish Ginny for almost dueling in the corridors with a Slytherin, she cursed James to his face then tried to warn him of danger, and she seemed a bit… well, stuck-up.

"It really is time to leave now," Ginny finally said.

Lily looked at Ginny for the first time, different emotions flashing in her emerald eyes.

"I've seen you before…" Lily was frowning in concentration. "Recently… Haven't I?"

"In the dungeons," Ginny supplied the answer.

A look of realization came to Lily's face. She opened her mouth to speak, shut it before opening it again.

"I'm Ginny Stiles," Ginny introduced herself. "We haven't properly met yet."

"No, we haven't," Lily replied slowly. "I'm Lily Evans… Why don't I remember you before the dungeons?"

James was watching the conversation with glee, happy that Lily seemed more comfortable and less angry.

"I'm new," Ginny said.

"Oh! I've heard of you! Professor Dumbledore told us about her, didn't he, Potter?" Lily turned her attention to James.

"Yeah," James responded.

Ginny stared at the two in interest.

"What did he say about me?"

"Just to make sure you felt at home," Lily answered, smiling for the first time Ginny had seen.

"Introduce ourselves to you if we ever saw you. You know, the normal stuff," James continued, shrugging. "I didn't even know you were the new girl when we first… met… until you told us."

Sirius chuckled and Lily threw him a suspicious glance.

"New and already sneaking out of the school?" Lily asked, her tone more surprised then harsh. "I can't be too surprised that it's these two you snuck out with, though."

"Evans, please, you're making me blush," Sirius said, batting his eyes at her. "Your kind words always make me go a bit weak at the knees."

Ginny couldn't help laughing at Sirius' words. James sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head in exasperation. Lily simply ignored Sirius.

"Let's go back to Hogwarts," Lily said. "The professors could be leaving the Three Broomsticks any minute now and I don't want to get caught."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Go back yourself; we've seen the professors and we haven't been caught yet." He snarled at her a bit.

"No, we should go," Ginny agreed.

Lily sent Ginny a grateful smile.

"See?"

"Evans-"

"Let's just go!" James finally snapped, sick of Sirius and Lily's fighting. "She's right, we should get back."

Sirius stared at James in shock.

"You're really going to listen to her?"

"Yes," James answered shortly. "She's right, Sirius. We should be getting back."

Ginny bit her lip at the betrayal on Sirius' face. A distant sound caused Ginny to turn her head away from the scene however. Another similar sound was heard and Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. She couldn't quite make it out…

"Fine."

There it was again, closer to the group but still far away.

"Ginny?"

_Pop._

Ginny looked in horror as a figure suddenly appeared on the borderline of the trees. Lily, James and Sirius snapped their heads towards the figure and the person slowly turned their head towards them.

_Pop_.

Another figure appeared, further away from the four teenagers. This figure, however, also seemed to feel their presence and looked at them. Nobody moved.

"_Deatheaters_," Ginny breathed out.

They had jumped over the fence and running before Ginny even thought of running away. What were the chances? How could this happen? Ginny cried out when a curse missed her by inches, hitting the ground next to her. She continued to run, holding tightly onto Sirius' sleeve as they ran through the yard in front of the Shrieking Shack.

Lily was ahead of the group and kept glancing behind her to make sure everyone was together. James was following behind her and Sirius and Ginny ran together at the end of the group.

Hogsmeade was attacked several times during the First War, Ginny could remember. She had heard Hermione talk of it, having read it in Hogwarts: A History. And _now_ happened to be one of the times? Ginny felt as though she were in a book, an adventure story. But this was no story and, as a curse almost hit Sirius, she began to feel sick.

This was indeed very real.

Ginny gripped onto her wand tightly, glad that they were finally in the back yard. The Shrieking Shack's shadow hid them from view and they all stopped, breathing heavily. They heard no footsteps behind them and quickly huddled close together.

"Deatheaters? Why? How? They were trying to-to _kill_ us," Lily whispered.

"We should keep running," James said right away.

"I don't hear anything," Sirius muttered.

"That doesn't mean a thing," Ginny responded quickly. "We have to think of where we're going to go."

"Back to Hogwarts!" Lily cried out.

"Well, yes, of course," Ginny said. "But-"

She stopped talking, sure she heard something. Everyone stopped breathing before Ginny began to talk again, her voice extremely low.

"Hogwarts is a distance away. We'll never make it. We have to go back to Hogsmeade and use the tunnel."

Lily was shaking her head, her eyes wide. James was staring at Ginny, a look of fierce determination on his face, and Sirius gave Ginny a sharp nod.

"We'll have to pass them to get back to Hogsmeade," Lily whispered. "We're only students, we can't fight grown wizards!"

Ginny nodded in agreement. Her mind was working fast, as it always did when she was in trouble. She had to think up some plan to get them back to Hogwarts where they would be safe and sound. Hogwarts was never attacked by Deatheaters before her fifth year after all.

"We can't get by them," James said as a grin spread across his lips. "But I can."

"What? No!" Lily hissed.

Sirius looked at James in confusion.

"How?" Ginny asked.

"My invisibility cloak. I'll catch them by surprise and they can't see me so they won't know what hit them!"

Ginny heard the sound again; the snapping of a branch. The two Deatheaters were slowly making their way towards the backyard.

"Brilliant," Sirius mumbled. "You can Stupefy them and we'll have no troubles!"

"Then we can all get back to Hogsmeade and into the tunnel with no problem-"

"There are more Deatheaters in Hogsmeade," Lily whispered. "Two wouldn't be sent alone!"

"Yes, well, we have to deal with one problem at a time!" Sirius whispered back.

James pulled his invisibility cloak out of his bag and flung it around him. Under his cloak, James was no longer seen by the other three students. Ginny grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her closer to the Shrieking Shack. Sirius followed and they leaned against the wall of the building, waiting.

---------------

Author's Note: Well thank you for waiting for this chapter. I've had an extremely busy week. Hopefully I'll have chapter nine out in a few days! I feel the need to tell you that all of Lily's actions so far seen in this story will be explained. She may seem a bit of a snob, even Ginny noticed it, but she _doesn't like_ Sirius and James one bit- or does she? Either way she's not going to be exactly pleasant to them when she finds them to be very conceited and not someone she'd want to be around. Just know she'll come around… eventually.

**LilyInTheValley:** Mostly, concerning your review, Severus had been very interested in finding out who the girl who knew Remus was a werewolf was. He asked around and, quickly, discovered she was new to the school and that her name was Ginny Stiles. Slytherins do, after all, keep an update on the goings of the other houses (in case they can use it to their advantage). Professor Slughorn is much easier to answer about. Once he heard of the girl who could, impressively, do charms without speaking on her first try he asked Professor Sprout about her. He wanted to know what she looked like and her age so, in case he ever came across her, he knew who she was. Her bright red Weasley hair makes her very easy to stand out.

**Twinsofthesky:** Hey! It's tryingtosay, from livejournal. I'm happy you've stumbled upon my dear old story!


	9. Chapter Nine

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

**NOTE:** Concerning the last chapter and why Lily, James, Sirius and Ginny didn't just use the tunnel leading from the Shrieking Shack to the Whomping Willow… The Shrieking Shack is impossible to get in from the outside. The only way inside the Shrieking Shack is to go through the tunnel located under the Whomping Willow. And the Whomping Willow is located _inside _of Hogwarts' grounds. In order to use that tunnel they would somehow have had to be able to get inside the Shrieking Shack and, as stated somewhere in Prisoner of Azkaban, no student could possibly do that. So they **had** to go back to Hogsmeade in order to get back to Hogwarts.

----------------

_Chapter Nine_

_First of Several_

"How could you let him go?" Lily hissed out at Sirius. "I thought you were suppose to be best friends!"

"We are!" Sirius responded right away.

"You sent him to his _death_! Oh, this is horrible, we're going to die! We're only students!" Lily moaned in fear.

"Shut up!" Ginny snapped, her eyes wide.

There was silence. Long minutes passed and Ginny began to worry. Though no Deatheaters had yet to arrive to kill the three students, they hadn't heard from James. Licking her lips nervously, Ginny looked at her two companions. Lily was leaning weakly against the wall, her eyes staring ahead with a sharp focus. Ginny was sure tears were lingering in the other witch's eyes, though. Sirius was gnawing on his lips, twisting his wand in his hands.

Then, suddenly, Lily pushed herself off the wall and walked briskly away from the safety of the Shrieking Shack's shadows. Ginny gasped and reached out to grab her but didn't succeed. Sirius sped after Lily.

"What are you doing?" Sirius whispered.

Ginny watched as Lily turned the corner, disappearing from view. Sirius looked back at Ginny before following Lily, his wand held out in front of him.

"I'm not going to let him die- oh!" Lily's words caused Ginny to stiffen, wondering what the other girl had seen.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny stepped out of the shadows and turned the corner. She felt a rush of fear hit her as she stared at the scene in front of her. The two Deatheaters James had gone out to surprise had seemed to surprise him. James was laying on the ground, bleeding from the forehead. Sirius and Lily had their wands pointed at the Deatheaters and Ginny raised her own right away.

One of the Deatheaters laughed at them. Ginny saw Lily visibly swallow before straightening her back, presenting a more confident air then Ginny knew Lily had. Sirius was staring at the Deatheaters with dark, calculating eyes.

"Look at this," The calm Deatheater glanced at the students as he spoke. "Four students wandering away from the protection of their precious school."

"And one of them is already dead!" The laughing Deatheater gleefully said.

Time stopped at his words. Ginny's eyes darted to James' figure, to the blood pouring from his head, and her heart surely ceased beating. James couldn't be dead, he wasn't dead, oh Merlin… _don't be dead_! In a blast, time sped back up and Ginny was sure she was hyperventilating. She tried to get her breathing under control and her thoughts straight.

Did she change the future? Did she just stop Harry from being born? Would Voldemort rule the world because of a stupid mistake of hers? She became friends with the Marauders and ruined everything-

"_He found this book for a young girl who had come to Hogwarts seeking his help."_

"_Ginny… you are that girl." _

She was meant to be here.

"_How… how do you know I'd be there for a long while?"_

"_Because I remember, Ginny."_

James wasn't dead.

"_Do we become friends?"_

"_Now, now, you'll find that out yourself."_

And they were going to beat these Deatheaters somehow. Ginny licked her lips again before raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"I don't believe you," Ginny said simply.

She raised her wand higher when the Deatheaters looked at her. Or she assumed they were looking at her for their masks hid their faces from view. Ginny lifted her chin when one of the Deatheaters hissed at her.

"Stupid girl," The Deatheater said. "Are you blind?"

"No," Ginny answered with a snarl. "Do I look blind?"

Ginny heard Lily take a breath and saw Sirius glance at her in shock. They would catch on, they would catch on in a second… They had to.

"I suppose not," The Deatheater replied. "But you don't look stupid either and I've just found out you are quite thick."

The Deatheater that had been laughing earlier was now watching the two in interest, cackling to himself. Ginny wished she had mind powers, if only Sirius and Lily knew what she was trying to do. But how would they know? They probably thought she was being stupid and just trying to give them time to think up a plan.

"I bet I could wake him," Ginny told the Deatheater. "Want me to prove it?"

"If you insist." The Deatheater waved his hand at James' body.

Ginny took a step towards James' fallen body and it seemed that then Sirius knew what to do. He didn't say the curse out loud and Ginny jumped backwards, surprised, as a red light flew by her and hit the Deatheater she had been talking to. Lily's curse followed Sirius' immediately and hit the other Deatheater before he could even turn to look at the students.

The two Deatheaters hit the ground, unconscious. Ginny rushed to James, waving her wand at him with a whispered healing spell. His eyes slowly opened and Ginny reached down, grabbing his glasses from the grass. He took them and put them on, squinting as he sat up. It took him only a second to get to his feet. James swayed and Ginny reached out, grabbing him around the waist to help support him.

Sirius was staring at James with the utmost horror, looking as though he was going to be sick. Lily looked similar, holding her head in her hands as she moaned to herself. Ginny waved her wand at the Deatheaters, tying them up with ropes. When James swayed again, Sirius took him from Ginny. Still looking worried, Sirius patted James' chest with his hand a few times, as though making sure James was really there.

"James, you have to concentrate," Ginny forcefully said, taking James' face in between her hands. "We still have to go through Hogsmeade and you have to be prepared to fight more."

"Fight more?" Lily weakly asked. "I could hardly… you… Ginny, I was so afraid."

Ginny looked at Lily with a sympathetic gaze. They had thought James to be dead while she had realized that he couldn't possibly be dead, that they were all going to make it through this. She had a terrible advantage that they could never have. But she could help them through this.

"We have to get back to Hogwarts," Sirius spoke.

James was taking Ginny's words seriously, shaking his head several times to try to get a hold of himself. Ginny walked over to Lily and took the older girl by the shoulders, straightening her so they could look each other in the eyes. They had to prepared. This was, obviously, Lily, James, and Sirius' first battle and they couldn't go into a fight weak-minded… that would get them killed.

"You're not going to die," Ginny told her. "You're not going to die and that's what you have to remember. But you have to fight for your life, do you understand? When we get into Hogsmeade there will be fighting. And you have to fight to save yourself."

Lily was emotionless for a moment before nodding.

"And to help save you three," Lily continued.

Ginny felt the corner of her lip turn into a smile. Perhaps Lily wasn't as bad as Ginny had thought she was…

Turning to the two boys, Ginny saw that James was now standing on his own. Sirius was saying something to his friend that was causing James to shake his head before he grabbed Sirius in an embrace. When Sirius pulled away from the hug minutes later, he was in a better state of mind. James reached down and grabbed his invisibility cloak that lay at his feet, stuffing it in his bag.

"Ready?" Ginny asked, not unkindly.

The three Gryffindors nodded and Ginny turned in the direction of Hogsmeade. They couldn't hear anything but that didn't mean the Deatheaters hadn't attacked yet. Or, perhaps, the Deatheaters hadn't attacked and were waiting for something… or someone. Ginny felt her lip tremble at her thoughts. Voldemort would want to be at something as important as this.

But they were going to get through it anyway. Ginny pulled her hair back with a tie before beginning forward. The four students jumped over the fence and walked down the path. Jumpy and worried, Ginny grabbed Sirius' sleeve. He looked down at her.

"You just saved all our lives," Sirius commented softly. "What do you have to worry about?"

"Doing it again," Ginny joked.

Sirius' lips twitched into a smile before it fell. The lights of Hogsmeade were gleaming before them. Ginny and Sirius became silent. There were no screams but there were many cloaked figures walking down the streets. An attack was about to happen. It was then that Lily began to speak.

"What if the professors catch us?" Lily asked, serious.

James, Sirius, and Ginny turned to Lily with incredulous expressions on their face. Then James began to chuckle, lifting a hand and wiping the blood from his face. The blood just smeared on his pale skin more and Ginny turned away from the sight. Sirius was muttering under his breath and Ginny attempted to catch his words.

"…worried about the professors? I'm worried about our lives…"

Lily suddenly cracked a slight grin.

"Gotcha!"

Once again Sirius, James, and Ginny turned to stare at Lily in shock. This time all three of them began to laugh and Lily joined in. A scream stopped their laughter. Flashes of light suddenly appeared everywhere and the sound of glass breaking was heard. People were running into the street, fighting, falling to the ground and curses were being shouted. Ginny ran towards Hogsmeade, her instincts hitting her so hard she gasped.

She had to help fight these Deatheaters. In her fourth year she had done it and came out with only a broken ankle and now she was a sixth year and knew much more then she had before! The first person Ginny saw was an older, drunk wizard attempting to fight a Deatheater. Waving her wand at the Deatheater, Ginny thought of the first hex she knew.

Giant bogeys flew out of the Deatheater's nose and he screamed. Ginny then Stupefied him. The drunken wizard began to laugh at what had occurred in front of him before passing out where he stood. Continuing forward, Ginny saw another Deatheater and was ready to curse him when a burning suddenly erupted on her back. She screamed in pain and her legs buckled from under her.

Then relief came abruptly and a hand forced her to her feet. Lily stood next to her and shouted a curse at the Deatheater who had, apparently, hit Ginny with the painful hex. She pointed her wand at the same Deatheater.

"Impedimenta!"

The force of her spell caused the Deatheater to slow down considerably- Ginny would have even assumed he had stopped moving completely but she couldn't be too sure and she didn't have time to check. Soon Lily had whisked her away through the battle. She could see one of the boys in front of them and one of the boys behind them.

But, the harder they fought to leave the battle the more they were being drawn in. Lily and Ginny were soon separated and Ginny used every spell she knew, every curse, to try to defeat the Deatheaters she came across. Shouldn't the Order of the Phoenix be arriving soon? Where were they? And then a cruel thought forced itself into Ginny's head.

Was there even an Order now? Had it been formed yet? Her second of thoughts allowed the Deatheater she was fighting to hit her with a spell. She barely had time to cry out in shock before another curse hit her. Suddenly she couldn't breathe properly. The Deatheater waved his wand, the curse that would surely end her life on the tip of his tongue, but was stopped by someone throwing themselves onto him. Ginny collapsed, her hands wrapped around her neck.

What was she hit with? She couldn't breathe, she was panicking, _she_ was going to die here even if Lily and James and Sirius didn't. Suddenly Sirius' face appeared in front of her own. He was talking to her but she couldn't hear him. And no one was going to come and save them. There was no Order and Dumbledore was at the school still.

Sirius lifted her in his arms. They were running away from the battle; James and Lily were running next to them. James seemed to be injured, clutching his side. Ginny glanced through hazy eyes and saw that his fingers were drenched with blood. Lily was hurt too. She seemed dazed and was bleeding around the neck.

There was so much blood and Ginny couldn't breathe…

---

"Stop the bleeding! Merlin only knows what possessed you to go to Hogsmeade! Sirius stop, I have to find out what's wrong with her, she isn't breathing normal!"

Ginny's eyes focused on who was above her. Remus didn't seem to notice that Ginny was now awake, if she had even been asleep, as he whispered incantations over her with his wand.

"James! Prongs, look at me, it's just blood loss-"

Slowly, Ginny blinked. James was half laying, half sitting against a bed. Sirius was leaning over him, grabbing his best mate by the face and forcing him to look at him, even though James' eyes were shut.

Ginny tried to speak but began coughing instead. Remus looked her in the eyes then and she gasped. She wasn't breathing and she couldn't stop coughing.

"Lily, come here!"

Suddenly Lily came into view, her hands wrung in her hair. Remus looked up at her.

"What was she hit with?" Remus asked.

"I don't know, I don't remember!" Lily screeched, her face pale and the front of her clothes drenched in blood.

"Well remember or she's going to die!"

"Take her to the Hospital Wing, we're just students! We're just _kids,_ we can't save lives!"

Remus turned away from Lily and turned his attention back to Ginny. He grabbed her hands and held them in his. She continued to cough and gasp for breath.

"Listen, Ginny, I know you can hear me," Remus said. "You're panicking, you have to calm down. You can breathe easy, you can, it's all in your mind. Just breathe, you'll be fine."

Ginny shook her head, desperate. She couldn't breathe, she had been trying! Gasping, Ginny tried to tell him this but began coughing again. Her eyes were tearing up and everything was turning black. Remus tightened his hold on her hands.

"Breathe. It's easy really. You're just panicking. Close your mouth, breathe through your nose. It will calm you. I promise, try it, please."

She closed her eyes and tried to listen and follow his instructions. Closing her mouth, she sucked air in through her nose. It worked. Opening her eyes, she did it again. Remus nodded encouragingly at her.

"Good, good, keep doing that."

Remus continued to mutter incantations over Ginny before his eyes gleamed bright. He smiled and whispered a healing charm. Air rushed into Ginny's lungs easy now. Without thinking she reached out and grabbed Remus in a hug. She held him close to her. So scared, she was so scared. Everyone could have died… But they hadn't died. They were all alive.

Ginny let go of Remus as her fear left her and looked at James. Lily was now squatting next to James and Sirius was spitting harsh words at her. Remus hurried over to them and Ginny jumped off of the bed she had been laying on, following him.

"You're the only one he'll listen to, Evans!"

"Why?" Lily cried out, watching James with desperate eyes.

"I don't know! Just talk to him!"

Lily was just as panicked as Ginny had been moments ago. Remus lifted James' shirt, revealing a deep cut in his side. Ginny fought back a sob at the sight of it.

"Talk to him!" Sirius screamed.

"I can't! I can't! I'm not cut out for this!" Lily shouted back.

"He bloody loves you and you're not going to try to save his LIFE?" Sirius shouted, grabbing Lily's arms and shaking her. "Are you mad? Are you mad, you stupid, little girl, you stupid, stupid-"

Ginny wrenched Sirius' hands off of Lily's arms and turned to face Lily.

"You said you'd save us! Now save him! Do it, Lily! Just talk to him, talk to him, just say hi, just talk!" Ginny pleaded.

Lily's lips were trembling but, nonetheless, she looked to James. James had his eyes shut and was breathing shallowly. Reaching out, Lily touched James' cheek softly with her fingers. He didn't move.

"James…" Lily whispered.

Sirius groaned next to Ginny and she sent him a glare.

"James, wake up," Lily continued, her voice still soft.

Nothing happened. Remus glanced up, worried. He was trying to heal the cut but his skills weren't great. Ginny snatched Remus' wand, unsure of where hers was, and began to whisper healing charms she knew. Her mother had taught her many things as a girl and how to heal cuts and scrapes properly were one thing. She did, after all, have six brothers.

"It's not working!" Lily cried out.

Sirius sent Lily a glare before reaching out and shaking James' shoulder.

"Wake up, Prongs, wake up. Open your bloody eyes!" Sirius said.

The cut was beginning to heal with Ginny's incantations. Remus nodded approvingly when Ginny glanced at him. Ginny looked at Lily, who seemed unrealistically pale. She was shaking all over as she stared at James. Lily closed her eyes before opening them again, an emotion that Ginny recognized lingering in the green depths of her eyes. Harry wore that same expression many times before.

"Potter, wake the bloody hell up!" Lily screeched, grabbing James' chin and jerking it up.

James' eyes snapped open at the sound of Lily's voice and touch, staring at her with a mixture of surprise and pain. Lily gasped and pulled her hand away from James. Sirius stared at the pair for a long moment before giving a whoop of joy. The cut in James' side was closed completely. Ginny looked up and breathed out a sigh of relief, giving Remus back his wand.

"You're awake," Lily weakly said.

James groaned and Sirius pulled him up, setting him on the bed he had just been leaning against. The four students huddled around James' bed, staring at him in shock, worry, and happiness.

"He should really go to the Hospital Wing," Ginny spoke.

Sirius shook his head at her words.

"No, no, he said that no matter what he didn't want to be taken to the Hospital Wing."

"Yeah, he said that when he was still _awake_," Lily snapped, seeming to regain her composure. "Then he passed out and was bleeding all over the place!"

"He'd lose his badge for going to Hogsmeade," Sirius muttered. "He wouldn't want that."

"He'd want his life, though," Lily responded, staring down at James with a frown.

James groaned again.

"Stop talking-" James muttered. "-about me as if I'm not right here."

Sirius' face lit up and Ginny felt relief wash over her.

"I'm fine, a little light headed… but that's normal, right?" he asked.

Ginny began to laugh, nodding her head. Remus grinned from next to her.

"Yes, perfectly normal," Remus told James. "Especially since you lost that much blood. I didn't even know we held that much blood in our bodies to lose!"

Lily sat down on the bed next to James' and was holding her head in her hands. Ginny touched James' arm affectionately, giving it a squeeze, before joining the other witch on the bed. Neither of them spoke as Sirius and Remus rushed around. Looking around the room, Ginny realized where they were; the Gryffindor boys' dormitory. After spending nearly half an hour in the room she had just recognized it.

She must have blacked out between the time of rushing through the tunnel and through the corridors of Hogsmeade.

Ginny brushed some of her hair from her face, surprised to see blood on her fingers when she looked at her hand. Some of the blood was James' but some of it was hers. Pettigrew appeared in the room, looking at the chaos before running to James.

"He's all right?"

"Yeah," Remus answered, checking James for any other injuries.

"Go any lower, Remus, and I'll be sure that you're getting more pleasure from this little check out than you're letting on," James murmured.

Remus chuckled, rolling his eyes.

"Well, do you feel any pain from the waist down?" Remus asked.

"No," James responded.

Getting up, Remus moved to Sirius, checking him for any injuries. Sirius looked exhausted, his back leaning against the headboard of the bed he sat on. Ginny's eyes connected with Sirius' and he grinned at her. She smiled back before turning her attention to Lily. Lily, feeling Ginny's eyes on her, looked up.

"I should go to bed," she whispered.

"Not before I check you out," Remus casually commented from Sirius' bed.

Ginny stood up and offered her hand to help Lily stand. Lily accepted it. Remus came over to them after declaring Sirius perfectly healthy. He pointed his wand at Lily.

"You're bleeding still," he said.

"Oh," Lily said, touching a spot above her breasts. "Oh, well, you can't check that out."

Remus sighed.

"I just need to heal you."

"I'll do it," Ginny cut in. "I'll go with you to your dormitory and I'll heal it. Then-"

"You'll come back here," Sirius said from his bed.

Ginny looked at him in surprise.

"You need a place to sleep," Sirius reasoned, winking at her.

"You're more then welcome to stay," Remus slowly agreed. "If you don't mind?"

"No, no, I'll come back," Ginny responded.

Lily's lips were pursed but she didn't say anything on the matter of a girl staying in the boys' dormitory. Ginny nodded to Remus before the two girls left the boys' dormitory. They walked down the staircase quietly before starting up the girls' dormitory stairs. Pushing open the dormitory door, Lily snuck in and Ginny followed behind. A single candle lit at their entrance, giving Lily enough light to move around.

She pulled clothes out of her trunk and tossed them to Ginny. Ginny caught them, confused.

"What are these for?" Ginny asked.

"You'll need something to wear tonight, won't you?" Lily pulled her shirt off before performing a cleaning spell on it. The blood disappeared.

Ginny changed quickly, cleaning her clothes just as Lily had. Lily's clothes were the same size that Ginny wore regularly. She smiled in relief at the feel of soft, clean fabric rubbing against her skin. It was much better to have clean clothes to wear then the ones she had previously been wearing. Walking up to Lily, Ginny studied her cut. She cleaned it before whispering the charm that sealed it. The cut hadn't been too deep and was easy to fix.

Lily pulled on a t-shirt and gave Ginny a weak smile. Ginny smiled back and walked to the door.

"Good night," Ginny whispered.

"Good night… And Ginny?"

Ginny turned to look over her shoulder at Lily.

"Hmm?"

"About what happened in the dungeons…"

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed. Was this really the time to bring up something that happened, what felt like, ages ago?

"What about it?" Ginny asked.

"Severus-"

"Let's talk about this later, Lily, okay?" Ginny cut in, frowning at the mention of Snape.

Lily was quiet but was staring intensely at Ginny.

"We'll talk about it though," Lily said, resolved.

"Okay," Ginny said.

She left the dormitory.

---

Ginny drug herself back up the stairs of the boys' dormitory, unsure if she'd be able to make it all the way with how tired she was. What time was it? Glancing at a window in the staircase, Ginny saw that the sun was beginning to rise. She opened the boys' door and saw Remus cleaning up the mess that had been made. He looked up when he heard her enter and sighed.

"Do you have any injuries?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head no. Remus smiled and gestured to Sirius and James, who were both sleeping on their beds. Peter was glancing around.

"Peter offered you his bed for the night, he said he'd sleep in the common room," Remus told her.

Ginny looked at Peter, who gave her a small smile in return. Slowly, Ginny nodded appreciatively at him. Peter then set off, passing her and leaving the dormitory. When Ginny went to move to Peter's bed, though, Remus stopped her.

"But now I'm going to offer you my bed," Remus said. "Because we all know Peter wets his bed occasionally."

A snort of laughter came from one of the beds. Ginny looked and saw that one of Sirius' eyes were open. Laughing, Ginny shook her head.

"And you would be kind enough to sleep in the bed that has been wetted?" Ginny asked.

Remus grinned tiredly and nodded.

"Thanks," Ginny said.

"Ah, wait one moment," Remus commanded, walking up to Ginny.

He waved his wand and Ginny felt the stickiness on her forehead disappear. Ginny frowned as she stared at Remus.

"I'm surprised you're taking this as well as you are… I mean, you're woken up in the middle of the night to a girl who can't breathe and one of your best friends with a terrible cut in his side."

Remus shrugged.

"It hasn't hit me yet what has just happened. It will certainly hit me when I wake up, though, and there will be hell to pay," Remus promised.

Ginny grinned. Going to Remus' bed, she climbed under the covers. Remus blew out the candles that lit the room before crawling into Peter's bed. There was complete silence and Ginny frowned, sure that she would have been able to fall asleep right away. Closing her eyes, she turned on her side before hearing the words that expressed her thoughts completely.

"What a fucking crazy night, eh?"

Ginny, Remus, and Sirius fell asleep laughing.

--------------------

Author's Note: Here you go! A present to all of you from me! I wrote this chapter all last night and I think I'm in love with it. This changes everything between that group of students and they all know it very much. Please, please, please review. Thank you! for the night, he said he'to Sirius and James, who were both sleeping on their beds. oop of joy. with


	10. Chapter Ten

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Ten_

_Shaving Cream_

Ginny turned in the bed, trying to block out the loud voices that were forcing her to wake up.

"Are _you_ stupid, Sirius? You could have died! You could have died all because you wanted a bloody Butterbeer-"

"We had to pay our debt to Ginny."

"Oh, and what a way to pay it! She almost suffocated to death fighting _Deatheaters_!"

"Remus, calm down-"

"Calm down? I was woken up in the middle of the night to the sight of you guys all… bloody… and, James, you looked as though you wouldn't make it. I- you guys- absolute idiots-"

Her eyes fluttered open as she began to understand the words being said and she saw Remus, James, and Sirius standing in the middle of the dormitory. Peter was sitting in a chair, watching the fight with wide eyes. She followed Peter's example and quietly watched from the sidelines.

"We said we're sorry, it was stupid of us, we know," James said, holding his hands up as though he were surrendering.

"You don't know, you'll never know how stupid it was. Poor Lily, have you two even seen her yet today? How do we know she even made it through the night?" Remus snapped, his eyes blazing.

"Remus, shut UP!" Sirius shouted. "We won't come to you if we have any more problems, okay?"

Remus glared at Sirius.

"No, you very much will come to me if you have any problems," Remus told him.

The fight seemed to have ended with Remus' spat out words. James reached out and patted Remus' shoulder, giving him a weak smile. Remus shook his head, closing his eyes in tiredness.

"You did great, though, Moony," James praised. "I mean, I can hardly see that I was even cut."

James lifted his shirt and Ginny saw that there was only a slight scar on his side. She smiled at the good work she did on his harsh cut.

"That wasn't me," Remus murmured, pointing to his bed. "It was Ginny."

Turning to Ginny, James looked startled to see that she was awake. He flashed her a bright smile, though, and walked over to the bed, taking a seat on the end of it. Ginny looked at James and saw that he looked much healthier. His skin had regained its pigment and his eyes were sparkling. James grabbed Ginny's toes and squeezed them, causing her to yelp. She yanked her feet away from his grasp and glared at him jokingly.

"So I see you're better," Ginny stated.

"And I see you can breathe properly," James said, mimicking her voice.

Ginny laughed, nodding her head. Glancing behind James, Ginny saw that Sirius had disappeared into the bathroom. Remus looked sad but, when Ginny caught his eyes, he gave her a tight smile. Peter seemed to be getting dressed for the day.

"Thanks for healing my cut." James lifted his shirt to show her the scar as he had just done for Remus and Sirius moments ago.

Reaching out, Ginny traced the scar with her fingertips. James smiled when Ginny whistled.

"That's quite a battle wound, isn't it?" she asked.

Ginny sat up in the bed just as Sirius exited the bathroom. He had shaving cream on his face and a razor in his hand. Raising her eyebrows in surprise, Ginny couldn't help the giggle that escaped her mouth. She felt as though she were back home with all her brothers. If only she were able to write home… An image of the Burrow flashed in Ginny's mind and she fought the homesickness she felt.

Focusing back on reality, Ginny realized that Sirius and James were having a conversation, as were Remus and Peter.

"I don't know if I trust you, prat," Sirius said to James, some of the shaving cream falling off of his face and onto the floor in front of him.

"-well you haven't eaten since last night, Peter, that's why you're so hungry," Remus informed his small friend.

"Just let me try it, I've done it to myself," James told Sirius, standing from the end of the bed and poking Sirius' shoulder.

"Don't poke me!" Sirius shouted, though he was grinning childishly. "And I've seen what you've done to your face after shaving… why would I want that to happen to mine?"

"When's dinner?" Peter whined from his spot near Remus.

"Another hour and half, I suppose," Remus answered. "I think I'd like to go check on Lily soon. I wonder if she's awake yet…"

"_You_ asked me to shave for you, you giant git, and now you're saying I'm not good enough?" James threw his hands up in the air and walked away from Sirius, going to the other side of the room. "Moony!"

Ginny was amazed at how carefree the boys acted, as though last night hadn't occurred at all.

"Yes?"

"Want to play a game of Wizard Chess?" James asked, grabbing a board from a desk in the dormitory.

"Do you really want me to beat you once again?" Remus questioned, walking over to his friend and sitting on the floor across from him.

James chucked a chess player at Remus, who dodged it. Remus began laughing loudly, brushing stands of hair from his eyes.

"I think that was your King, James! He won't be very pleased!" Peter cried, picking up the chess piece that was cursing James.

"No, that's Remus' King!" James responded, which caused Remus to throw him a nasty glare.

Ginny giggled from the spot on her bed before looking up in surprise. Sirius was now standing beside her bed and was holding the razor out to her. She took it, confused.

"What?"

"I trust you enough with the razor," Sirius commented as he began to walk towards the bathroom. "Just don't slit my throat, eh?"

Slowly, Ginny pushed the covers off of her legs. She stood and felt a wave of dizziness sweep her. Hunger nipped at her stomach and she gave a start as she remembered the conversation between Peter and Remus. Had most of the day already been spent? Walking towards the bathroom, Ginny looked out the window. Indeed, the sun was beginning to set.

"My friends are going to think you've kidnapped me," Ginny told James as she walked into the bathroom.

"Jolly good!" James yelled to her before shouting to Peter, "Come watch this game so your hunger doesn't make you go mad!"

"Why can't we just go to the kitchens?" Peter asked, standing from his seat.

Ginny raised her eyebrows as she turned her attention to Sirius, who was wiping off the shaving cream that had begun to melt.

"I suppose you would like me to help you shave?" Ginny asked, lifting herself on the counter.

Sirius began reapplying the shaving cream and nodded.

"And why can't you do it yourself? I've forgotten."

Ginny grinned cheekily at Sirius, who smiled back. Once he was done applying shaving cream, he began to wash his hands.

"I'm a bit shaky, a bit hungry," he responded. "and a bit lazy."

Laughing, Ginny beckoned Sirius closer to her. By sitting on the counter, they were the same height. For a moment Sirius stood so close to her that her knees dug into his stomach. Then Sirius gently spread apart her knees and settled himself comfortably in between them. Ginny's breath got caught in her throat at the personal act but Sirius didn't seem bothered by it. He winked at her when they caught gazes.

"I'm trusting you with my face, love," Sirius said. "You can at least make the experience comfortable for me."

Ginny nodded, speechless. Using her fingers, she tilted Sirius' chin up before bringing the razor close to his skin. He grabbed her hand, though, before the blade could touch him.

"You do know what you're doing, right?" Sirius stared her in the eye. "I naturally assumed you did but-"

Rolling her eyes, Ginny shook her hand from his grasp.

"I use to watch my brothers shave all the time when I was younger," Ginny responded and she retilted his chin. "Trust me."

Sirius closed his eyes as the razor ran over his skin. Ginny concentrated on making sure she didn't cut Sirius, trying to ignore the lightheadedness feeling that had washed over her. After finishing his left cheek, Ginny began on the right.

"Why are you so shaky you can't shave?" Ginny murmured and he jumped slightly.

The razor cut him a bit from his sudden movement and he cursed. Ginny quickly applied pressure on the small cut with her index finger. Sirius opened his eyes and stared at her, his eyebrows raised.

"I thought you knew what you were doing," he said.

"_You_ jumped!" Ginny laughed, taking her finger off his cheek.

Blood was smeared on his skin and she grabbed some toilet paper to wipe it off. She went back to shaving and he closed his eyes again.

"I was hit with some spell last night," Sirius spoke suddenly, answering her question from before. "I was all jittery until Remus took the spell off of me. I still get shaky now and then, though… Don't want to scar my face if I get a sudden attack."

Ginny grinned as she completed shaving his face. She bit her lip as she stared at him so close. His eyes opened slowly and he grinned roguishly at her. Gray eyes… never before had Ginny known Sirius' eyes were gray.

"All done," she said.

Sirius stepped away from her. Jumping off of the counter, Ginny exited the bathroom. Remus and James were playing an intense game of Wizard Chess with Peter as the words of advice for both sides. She watched as Sirius ran to sit next to Remus, pointing out a spot where he should move his bishop. After a few minutes of watching the game she sighed, causing Remus' eyes to flicker up to her own.

"I'm going to go back to my dormitory… my friends…"

Remus smiled at her and nodded before turning his attention back to the game. Wasn't it only a few minutes ago that Remus had been fighting with Sirius and James about what had occurred the night before? Had it only been last night that Ginny, Sirius, James, and Lily fought _Deatheaters_? Ginny thoughts were getting sidetracked and she watched, with a ping of sorrow, as the boys hardly noticed her departing.

Opening the door, Ginny stepped out into the staircase when a sudden cry stopped her. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that Sirius was half-standing, ready to sprint to her. James was watching Sirius in interest.

"We'll see you at dinner," Sirius said, causing Ginny to blink owlishly.

Right away James nodded in agreement.

"You'll be sitting with us-" James stopped when he saw Remus' glare and corrected himself. "Er, rather, you're welcome to sit with us."

Ginny laughed, her face flushing with relief. And here she thought they had so quickly forgotten about her.

---

Crookshanks leapt on Ginny the moment she entered the Hufflepuff common room. Before Ginny could even coo at her kitten two girls ran to her, their expressions filled with relief and curiosity. Marlene tugged Ginny over to a couch, sitting her down before taking a seat beside her. Dorcas sat on the other side of Ginny.

"Where were you?" Marlene asked immediately.

"Did you hear about the attack in Hogsmeade yet? Merlin's teacup, all those deaths-"

"-gone all night, did you sleep with Potter and Black? Ginny! You answer me-"

"-Dumbledore got there just in time. He looked so _angry_ this morning at the table-"

"Oh! Yeah! Dumbledore asked about you, Ginny."

Ginny's eyes grew wide in surprise. Dumbledore had been asking for her? Did that mean- oh no… A sinking feeling filled Ginny as she stared at Marlene. Had Dumbledore seen her last night at Hogsmeade? She had been in the middle of the fighting and hadn't left till it was absolutely necessary. Her stomach growled and Ginny put her hands on it, causing Crookshanks to send her a glare at having to be moved.

"Dumbledore asked for me?" Ginny weakly asked.

Marlene nodded, twirling a piece of hair around her finger.

"Yes, he did. He'd like you to meet him up in his office at the most convenient time for you," Marlene informed her.

Dorcas was staring at Ginny with her lips pursed. Ginny felt as though that breathing curse had been put back on her. Dumbledore knew, he knew, oh she was dead. Closing her eyes, Ginny tried to calm herself.

"He doesn't know you didn't spend the night with us," Marlene told Ginny.

Ginny opened her eyes, surprised.

"You lied to the Headmaster for me?"

Marlene smirked and pointed to Dorcas, who shifted in her seat.

"_You_ lied to the Headmaster for me?" Ginny wasn't too surprised, for Dorcas was known for telling fibs.

Dorcas nodded, grinning.

"Why would you do that?" Ginny asked before she could stop herself.

At her question, Marlene and Dorcas rolled their eyes. Crookshanks purred loudly from his spot on Ginny's lap and she pet him absently.

"We're friends, Ginny," Dorcas said. "Mates, buddies, you know."

Ginny smiled, shocked by how far these Hufflepuffs would go to help her. Marlene reached over and tried to take Crookshanks from Ginny but the kitten dug his claws in Ginny's legs. She squealed and slapped Marlene's hands away from Crookshanks. Apparently the kitten had missed Ginny very much and was letting her know that she couldn't leave him alone for hours on end ever again.

"Where did you go with James Potter and Sirius Black?" Dorcas questioned, her eyes lighting up in interest.

Ginny took a second to come up with a lie.

"We just explored the castle-"

"All night?" Marlene didn't look convinced.

"Well, _no_," Ginny admitted.

"Where did you sleep?" Dorcas leaned forward as she asked her question.

"Where did I…sleep?"

"Yes, sleep." Dorcas was grinning widely. "You slept in their dormitory, didn't you? Why, I knew it! I knew it, Marlene, didn't I tell you?"

"And I agreed with you, Dor," Marlene said, her tone exasperated (as it often was with Dorcas).

Marlene tilted her head a bit. Ginny couldn't come up with a lie, for where else would she have slept, and she nodded to let them know they assumed right. Dorcas beamed and Marlene looked pleased.

"That's surprising; I thought you said you weren't looking for a boyfriend?" Marlene asked.

Ginny shook her head quickly, laughing nervously and flushing red. If she were to ever think back on her actions she wouldn't be sure why she reacted the way she did.

"I'm not looking for a boyfriend!"

"You just spent the night with two of the biggest bachelors in the school and you're not interested in either of them?" Dorcas was giggling in the background of Marlene and Ginny's conversation.

"No, I'm not interested in them!" Ginny cried out.

"Interested in who?" Edgar had come and joined the trio, settling himself on the arm of the couch they were sitting on.

Knowing how out of hand this was getting, Ginny cursed and shoved her head in her hands.

"Liar," Dorcas gasped out, laughing harder now. "Ginny's having her wicked ways with James Potter and Sirius Black!"

Edgar looked appalled and immediately began to complain.

"They're the enemy, Ginny! Two of the best players on the Gryffindor team and you're shagging them? Now, unless you get strategies out of them while doing so-"

Dorcas howled with laughter and Marlene was smirking smugly, stretching out on the couch. Ginny moaned in her hands. She stood up abruptly, causing Crookshanks to fall to the ground hissing.

"Dumbledore needed to see me, right?" Ginny asked and, without waiting for an answer, she exited the Hufflepuff common room.

She'd rather be with Dumbledore, who was probably going to send her back to her normal time for being a disobedient student, than with her friends who thought she was shagging Sirius and James.

---

What were the chances that Dumbledore didn't want to see Ginny about the attack at Hogsmeade last night? Ginny bit her lip and tried to think up other reasons why Dumbledore would want to see her. She shifted nervously in front of the gargoyles that guarded Dumbledore's office.

He could have found the book. Ginny knew this wasn't a likely choice but she did like to consider it. Maybe he… Sighing, Ginny stared at the gargoyles. The only other reason Dumbledore would want to see her was because he found the book. This meeting would be either very good or very bad. But, she supposed, a meeting wouldn't occur if she couldn't figure out the password to his office.

Her problem was solved a moment later for the tall wizard she was trying to meet with was walking down the corridor towards her. Ginny smiled uneasily at Dumbledore as he greeted her. Dumbledore sounded delighted to see her and she thought this was a good sign but there was something lurking in his blue eyes that caused Ginny to frown.

"Up in my office, I believe, will be the place where we can talk," Dumbledore said before reciting the password to the gargoyles ("Phoenix.").

Taking a seat in the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk, Ginny declined the offer of candy and nervously waited to hear what Dumbledore had to say. After several minutes of silence Ginny realized Dumbledore wasn't going to say anything. She frowned as he stared out the window, lounging in his chair.

"Professor?" Ginny called softly. "Sir?"

He made it seem as though he couldn't hear her.

"You're nervous, Miss Stiles. Why is that?" Dumbledore asked unexpectedly.

Ginny's frown deepened.

"I'm curious," she slowly said. "I don't know why you wanted to see me."

Dumbledore faced her and smiled gently. She relaxed without realizing she had done so.

"I just wanted to check up on you," Dumbledore admitted.

Surprised, Ginny leaned back in her seat. He wanted to check up on her? She wasn't getting in trouble?

"How are you, Miss Stiles? Sixth year is a difficult year at Hogwarts, plenty of homework to finish. I've heard wonderful things about you from some of the professors, however. And you made the Quidditch team!"

Ginny smiled easily, ready to answer the Headmaster's questions. Just as she opened her mouth, though, her eyes caught sight of the Daily Prophet on Dumbledore's desk. She frowned.

"Have you seen the paper yet today?" Dumbledore asked her.

Dumbledore looked down at the newspaper and Ginny saw that his eyes were twinkling a bit. He grabbed it and handed it to Ginny, who reluctantly took it. She had yet to read the Daily Prophet and she was a bit hesitant to do so. The Daily Prophet often lied in her time and she wasn't sure of its ways during this time.

On the front page the Hogsmeade attack was shown. Seven witches and wizards had died in the attack. Ginny's eyes scanned the paper before she looked up at the Headmaster.

"Why wasn't the Order of the Phoenix there?" Ginny questioned before she could help herself. "They could have saved those people's lives!"

Dumbledore simply watched her, his face emotionless. Ginny felt desperation come to her and fought the urge to cry. Everything was catching up to her, how she had nearly lost her life last night and how she had waited and hoped for the Order to appear and save the night. They never came… and they always came… What made it different this time?

"That's the point of the Order! To save lives, Professor! I-I…" Ginny stopped, her face falling. "Unless, of course, there is no Order of the Phoenix yet?"

She slumped in her chair and covered her eyes with a hand. Ginny couldn't think, she couldn't do anything… There was no Order. The simple thought was devastating.

"No, there is no Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore quietly said to her. "But that _is_ a very catching name, isn't it?"

For a moment Ginny froze before dropping her hand from her eyes. She saw that Dumbledore was smiling cheerfully and chewing on another piece of candy. Ginny's jaw dropped a bit.

"I've been thinking of organizing a group of witches and wizards to help fight against Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said. "I just couldn't come up with a proper name!"

Ginny felt tears come in her eyes at the ridiculousness of this situation.

"Do not fear, my dear." Dumbledore's voice penetrated Ginny's thoughts. "I am one step ahead of you."

But he wasn't one step ahead of her, Ginny realized. She knew mostly everything that was going to happen and he had no clue of what was going to occur, no clue at all. Ginny could help, though; she could give him the advantage that could save lives- an advantage that he would never take.

But she had to try.

"You need to get the Order together right _now_, Professor Dumbledore," Ginny urgently said. "The Deatheater ranks are growing and, by the time the Order is put together, the Deatheaters will outnumber-"

"Miss Stiles…"

"Please, listen, let me tell you-"

"No!" Dumbledore shouted and Ginny stopped ranting, strangely out of breath.

His tone was fierce and Ginny felt a bit of fear. She was doing exactly what everyone told her not to do… She was trying to change the future.

"You cannot go around giving away the secrets of the future for your own pleasure," he told her gently. "And if you do it again there will be serious consequences."

Ginny felt as though she were a deflating balloon.

"Luckily, I already had the idea and only needed a name. The Order of the Phoenix…" Dumbledore looked back at his phoenix, grinning fondly. "My, my, that is a very great title. I had wanted to put 'phoenix' in the name somewhere… I came up with The Phoenix League or The Phoenixeaters but they both sounded very cliché."

She laughed and nodded in agreement, unsure of how Dumbledore always said the right things to change people's moods.

---

Professor Dumbledore escorted Ginny to the Great Hall, for by the time they were done talking about Ginny's stay at Hogwarts it was time for dinner. They chatted about simple things till they found their way to the Great Hall and, when they entered, they departed ways with a smile. Ginny began towards the Hufflepuff table only to be stopped by a shout of her name. Turning around, she saw Remus coming towards her.

"Care to join me, and my fellow Marauders, for dinner?"

Ginny blinked and glanced at the Hufflepuff table, where she knew her friends were eating. She looked back at Remus. Honestly, she had forgotten Sirius and James had invited her.

"Don't feel obligated," Remus said right away. "James saw you walk in and sent me to go 'fetch her', as he put it."

Ginny giggled and Remus' small smile grew larger.

"Can I take that as a yes?" Remus asked, beginning to walk backwards to the Gryffindor table.

She nodded and began towards the table with Remus. The other boys were laughing about something and eating already; Sirius waved to Ginny when she got closer. But Ginny wasn't able to make it to the table for someone tapped Ginny's shoulder from behind. Turning around, Ginny was surprised to see Lily standing before her.

"Hi," Ginny greeted.

Lily smiled at her.

"Is everyone all right?" Lily asked, looking at the boys who were still further down.

"Everyone made the night," Remus answered, smiling slightly.

Lily nodded her head before taking a deep breath.

"Ginny, I know you haven't eaten yet today but I'd really like to talk to you," Lily pleaded.

Ginny stared at her before sharing a look with Remus.

"It can't wait?" Ginny questioned slowly, already knowing she was going to miss some of her dinnertime.

"I really need to speak to you," Lily responded.

Licking her lips, Ginny offered Remus an apologetic gaze before stepping towards Lily, whose face brightened right away. She seemed nervous about something and Ginny tried to figure out why Lily would want to talk her…

The air grew awkward between the two girls as they made their way into an empty classroom one floor up. Ginny watched Lily pace around the room and she decided to take a seat on top of one of the desk. Hardly any light was in the room and it made the meeting much grimmer. Suddenly Lily walked up to Ginny and took both of her hands in her own.

"Ginny, I know you don't even know me," Lily said. "But last night you… I saw something in you…you could help save a _life_! The life of a friend of mine."

Ginny frowned at Lily's ranting. What did she mean?

"What? Lily, what do you mean? Is someone in danger?" Ginny sharply asked.

Lily shook her head and released Ginny's hands, beginning to pace once again.

"You're so smart and you'll know what to do," Lily began. "You could help, I know you could. Let me explain, please, let me explain!"

Dawning came to Ginny and she felt herself pale.

"Okay," Ginny cautiously said. "What do you want to explain?"

"I want you to become friends with Severus Snape."

----------------

Author's Note: How will Ginny react? That is for the next chapter! Sadly I won't be able to write until Tuesday for I'll be on a small trip all weekend. But I really would appreciate any reviews you guys could give me, even if it says "That was okay, I guess". Well, thank you so much! You guys are so inspiring and, honestly, if it weren't for your views I would probably have stopped writing by now.

P.S. Time is going to start to fly by. Halloween is only two or three chapters away. (Can you believe it? This is going to be a _long_ story.)

**Demelza67: **There will most likely be more flashbacks as we go through the story. And thank you for the review, it really made me feel awesome!

**Genna: **Honestly, the only reason Ginny didn't sleep in Lily's dorm is because the boys invited Ginny to sleep in their dorm. If Lily had asked beforehand Ginny would have definitely gone with her.

**LittleNK**Well, James and Lily _do_ have private rooms. But they would have to share the rooms and, since they don't like each other, this isn't an option. They visit the rooms randomly and alone but never together. If they do happen to go at the same time, Lily leaves or James does (for he likes to be a gentleman to her). This arrangement will change soon, though…


	11. Chapter Eleven

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Eleven_

_Obligations_

In years to come, if Ginny tried to remember anything from the discussion with Lily, the only thing she would remember was the image her mind produced by Lily's fatal words. She remembered seeing Harry clutching onto Dumbledore's dead body, she remembered his lifeless eyes as he stared at his deceased mentor. Everyone had tried to get him away from Dumbledore's body but she had been the only one who succeeded. Still she could remember how pale his green eyes had gone and how she promised never to let his eyes go that pale again.

That image had haunted her for nights on end. Slowly it had come to rest in the back of her mind but, now, it had surfaced. Ginny rubbed her eyes to try to clear her head. Lily was watching her with sharp eyes, trying to deceiver what Ginny was thinking. If only Lily knew…

"No," Ginny spat with an amount of venom she didn't know she possessed. "Why would I even _want_ to become that-that monster's friend?"

Ginny's words caused Lily to flush red. Her eyes sparkled dangerously but the older girl was trying to control her temper.

"He is no monster," Lily managed to say, her voice shaking. "And I came to you because I thought you wouldn't yet be fazed by the differences between the four houses."

Staring at Lily, Ginny's anger drained from her. What was the story behind Lily Evans and Severus Snape exactly? Thinking back on the first time Ginny had ever seen Lily, she could remember the girl's suspicious eyes after Ginny and Snape almost dueled. It was apparent that Snape and Lily were friends, or at least Lily thought so.

"Lily… Snape and I have already-"

"Severus," Lily cut in. "His name is Severus."

Ginny felt as though she were about to get sick. To call him by his real name made him seem human and he wasn't.

"We've already had our fights," Ginny slowly said. "He wouldn't want to be _friends_ with me."

At her words, Lily smiled. The smile unnerved Ginny and she wished she hadn't said what she just said.

"You and I are alike, Ginny; you do realize that, don't you? You're just braver than me; spunkier… you do what needs to be done! I've tried to stop him from going down the path he's going down but I can't. I think you can, though."

Ginny fought back the sneer that almost came to her lips.

"And what path," Ginny hissed out. "is he going down?"

"You can save him," Lily continued as if she hadn't heard Ginny. "You have a power I don't-"

"What is it with Snape and you? You should hate him!" Ginny cried out, jumping off her desk.

Lily looked shocked and confused.

"I have no reason to hate Severus," Lily said. "And I'm not going to hate and bully him just because James Potter and his followers do! Surely you understand that?"

At first Ginny didn't. Snape was going to turn out to be a horrible person, Ginny could see that even now… But then Luna's dazed face came into Ginny's thoughts. Ginny was the first one to befriend the Ravenclaw when no one else would. Luna was different, strange, and often bullied for her uniqueness. Did it make Ginny strange for being friends with Luna? Probably… but it was everyone else's loss to not be friends with Luna.

And that was how Lily viewed her friendship with Snape. If Luna were ever in trouble Ginny would try to get help from everyone. Now Lily was asking for Ginny's help to save someone who she thought was worth saving.

Triumph flashed across Lily's face for a second as she watched Ginny battle her thoughts. Even if Ginny didn't immediately agree, Lily knew that she would come around eventually. Lily sat on the desk that Ginny stood next to and gestured for Ginny to sit back on the desk she had jumped off of. Ginny did so.

"Severus can be mean and ignorant sometimes," Lily lightly said. "But I've tried to stomp that out of him as much as I could. His father is… not the best of role models. Severus is very witty, though, and you'll enjoy his humor."

Ginny shook her head weakly, trying to keep up her defenses.

"He isn't mean, he's _cruel_ and there's a difference." Ginny bit her lip as she thought of Harry's reaction if he knew she became friends with Snape.

He would hate her.

"There's more to people than what they show you," Lily whispered. "That's what my mother told me when I was little and I live by that. Perhaps you should too."

Harry was going to hate her…

---

Ginny didn't go to dinner after talking with Lily. She crawled into her bed in the Hufflepuff dormitory and laid still, staring at Crookshanks as he played with a ball of cotton. Her heart was heavy and her stomach was rumbling and she still felt sick. How could she become friends with a murderer? Shifting on her bed, Ginny tried to sleep.

Sleep wouldn't come to her, however, especially since she had only woken up a few hours ago. It was when Amelia came into the dormitory that Ginny decided a walk around the castle would calm her nerves. She exited the common room without glancing at anyone; Crookshanks was on her heels. The corridors were dark and chilly; October was just around the corner.

For a while Ginny hadn't met up with anyone as she walked and her thoughts drifted. Who would have ever thought that Snape and Lily were friends? Lily was far too caring, far too nice. Ginny began to walk up a set of stairs before stopping and turning. She had been walking too fast for Crookshanks, who was still a distance away and whose cries just reached her ears. Sighing, she jumped down the stairs she just walked up and went to get the kitten.

Someone else, though, had come up to the kitten. Another person followed the first person and picked up Crookshanks. Ginny couldn't see who it was but she cried out, waving her hands to show she was there.

"It's okay, he's mine!" Ginny called, jogging a bit to get to the two people.

When she reached them, they were in the shadows. Ginny could see, though, that the other two students were boys.

"Sorry 'bout that," One of the boys said. "We thought he was lost."

"Been meowing for some twenty minutes now," The other boy continued.

Ginny frowned. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Crookshanks at all. The poor kitten had been trying to keep up with her and had been having difficulty and she hadn't noticed at all. Handing Ginny the kitten, the first boy began to edge towards the light.

"What type of kitten is it?" he asked.

Following him into the light, Ginny was about to answer but couldn't. Standing before her, his face politely interested, was a boy who looked so remarkably like Charlie that she thought it _was_ her brother. Snapping her head towards the other boy, who had just stepped into the light, she saw that he too looked like Charlie.

The boys' eyebrows furrowed at the same time as they looked at her. Beginning to laugh, the second boy nudged his brother.

"Fab, don't she look exactly like Molly?"

"Yeah," The first boy said.

These were her uncles. Ginny stared at them, delight coming to her features and all previous thoughts leaving her mind.

"I'm Ginny."

The boy Ginny assumed was Fabian grinned at her. Ron and Bill had his grin. Ginny could hardly contain her joy.

"Fabian-"

"And Gideon Prewitt!" Fabian chuckled a bit at his brother's enthusiasm.

"You do look exactly like our older sister, Molly," Fabian said, tapping the tip of his nose with his index finger. "Are you related to us?"

Ginny's face blanched before she shook her head.

"Well, my mum's a witch who married my dad, who's a Muggle…"

The lie rolled off of Ginny's tongue easily. Gideon nodded.

"Our family's had magic since… forever," Gideon answered. "Not to brag, of course, we do love each and every type of witch."

Ginny laughed.

"I knew I recognized you!" Fabian suddenly cried out. "You're Hufflepuffs new Chaser! We saw you at tryouts!"

Quickly, Ginny tried to search her memory of ever seeing these boys but, at tryouts, she had been more worried about Sirius and James and had no chance to look at the rest of the Gryffindor players.

"I'm sorry, I don't really remember," Ginny apologized.

"Potter and Black did snatch you away rather quick," Gideon said.

"I'm a Chaser too." Fabian's grin widened.

"Beater, myself," Gideon said in response.

It's almost ridiculous to think that Ginny missed seeing her uncles, who she had desperately wanted to see the whole time she'd been at Hogwarts, by only a bit. Fabian reached out and pet Crookshanks' fur.

"Lovely cat," he said. "Looks a bit smashed up though, don't he?"

Ginny grinned and nodded.

"He came this way," she commented.

Crookshanks began to purr in her arms.

"Ah! Speaking of Merlin, look who it bloody is!" Gideon pointed down the corridor where, coming towards them, was Sirius.

Sirius' face was dark when he walked up to them, and Ginny briefly wondered why, but it went away when he saw who it was, his easy grin coming into place. His eyes looked a bit shocked to see Ginny with Fabian and Gideon, though. Fabian patted Sirius' arm and Gideon's eyes narrowed jokingly.

"How are your detentions going?" Gideon asked.

"Fine, fine, thanks for asking," Sirius said carelessly.

"Come to steal Ginny away again?" Fabian gestured to Ginny and her cheeks flushed a bit.

"Hey!" Ginny said. "I'm not some doll to be passed around-"

Sirius let out a bark of laughter at the fierceness in her tone and Fabian and Gideon looked vaguely amused.

"Just like Molly."

"Yes, yes." Gideon smiled. "You should meet her one day."

"Oh! You'd have a grand time," Fabian said. "She's lives in a house we've dubbed the Burrow, it's a bit of a mess but it's very cozy. Tons of kids running around-"

Just then a loud growl was heard. Ginny looked around before giggling, realizing it was her stomach. Sirius grinned, raising his eyebrows.

"That's what happens when you miss dinner," he commented.

Ginny shrugged.

"I'll take you to the kitchens, if you'd like?" Sirius asked.

For a second Ginny hesitated before nodding. Fabian and Gideon said their goodbyes, giving Crookshanks a quick pet on the head, before heading down the corridor. She watched them go, hoping she'd meet up with them again, before turning to Sirius. They began walking.

"Still keep that bloody fiend with you?" Sirius gestured to Crookshanks.

"Yes," Ginny replied. "He protects me from evil men."

She looked pointedly at Sirius as she said this and he laughed.

"Shame he didn't protect you from those Prewitt twins, then," Sirius said.

Ginny heard the curiosity in Sirius' question and wished she could see his face. They were in a set of shadows, though, so she looked back forward.

"We just met up in the corridors. I'd wanted to meet them for ages," Ginny admitted, smiling a bit.

"Why's that?" Sirius questioned, his voice holding something sharp in it.

"The famous Prewitt twins who you're battling with over the most detentions; I had to see who they were," Ginny lied, though she grinned up at Sirius.

They turned a corner and began down a set of stairs. Both of them didn't say anything for a moment until a thought seemed to have come to Sirius.

"We saw Evans take you away at dinner," he said.

Ginny nodded slowly.

"James was all over himself with hope that she was perhaps confiding in you that she secretly loved him and such." Sirius looked at her as he said this.

An almost sad smile came to Ginny's lips and she shook her head.

"She did no such thing," Ginny said.

"That Evans just breaks his heart continually," Sirius said, blinking his eyes dramatically as though he were about to cry.

"She'll come around," Ginny responded, laughing a bit.

"That's what he's hoping."

"She _will_!" Ginny was laughing more now. It felt good to laugh with Sirius.

"He's loved her since his fourth year, when he realized she was the only girl who thought he was a bit cocky. They've been fighting ever since."

They walked through another corridor.

"But he's changed since then, hasn't he?" she asked, shifting the sleeping Crookshanks in her arms.

"A bit too much," Sirius admitted. "When he's around her he is so helplessly…"

"Helplessly what?"

"Helplessly in love," Sirius groaned out. "It's pathetic."

"That's lovely!" Ginny snapped slightly, remembering herself around Harry in her first, second, and third year at Hogwarts. "He just has to learn to be himself around her."

"And you'd think that, after last night, she'd be a bit kinder to him but she hasn't been. She shrugged off his attempt at talking to her when she came back into the Great Hall at dinner."

"Do you want them to be together?" Ginny asked suddenly.

Sirius frowned a bit, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand.

"He's my best mate, I want him to be happy," Sirius answered. "And she's the only girl that will make him happy."

They were now in the entrance hall. Going through a random door, they walked down the corridor. Soon they came to a painting of a bowl of fruit. Sirius reached up and tickled the pear in the painting. It squealed loudly and wiggled a bit before becoming a door handle. Sirius pulled open the painting and allowed her to enter the kitchens first.

The smell of food overwhelmed Ginny and her stomach growled loudly. Sirius smirked at her as he stepped in after her. She didn't even have time to inhale the smell again for at least twenty house-elves came scurrying over to Sirius and Ginny. Crookshanks woke up at the sound of the house-elves voices and hissed at them, pushing himself closer to Ginny's chest.

"What would you like, dearest Ginny? You have the world at your feet!"

Something in the way Sirius said those words caused Ginny's heart to squeeze. She recognized the feeling and ignored it.

"I'd love some turkey…" Ginny slowly said.

Half the house-elves ran away, crying out things to other house-elves. The other half of the house-elves waited by Ginny's feet.

"And you, sir?"

"Would you like something to drink, yes; we have a many drinks to select from!"

"Pumpkin juice would be fine," Ginny replied, amused.

Sirius shrugged off the house-elves and led Ginny towards one of the tables. She sat down and put Crookshanks on the table top. The thought of eating made Ginny feel slightly dizzy. Sitting down next to her, Sirius watched the house-elves run around. Only a minute or two passed before house-elves presented Ginny with several plates of turkey and two jugs of pumpkin juice. Plates of desserts were put on the table also, even though Ginny hadn't asked for any deserts.

Right away, Ginny grabbed a piece of turkey. She shoved it into her mouth, knowing she looked like a pig but hardly caring. It had been a day since she had last eaten and she didn't care for manners at the moment. While she ate, Sirius played with Crookshanks… or, rather, teased the poor kitten. He'd make pieces of bread float in front of Crookshanks face and then, the moment the kitten went to dart for the bread, he'd make it fly out of reach. When he did this for the twentieth time and Crookshanks fell off the table, Ginny finally smacked Sirius' arm.

"He is never going to trust, or like, you," Ginny commented dryly.

"One can only hope," Sirius answered, grinning with satisfaction as Crookshanks climbed back up the table.

Ginny took a bite of a cupcake, finished with her turkey.

"What were you walking around the castle for?" Ginny asked after she finished chewing her cupcake.

Sirius looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"I mean, I would have thought James or Remus would have been with you."

Shrugging, Sirius turned back to 'playing' with Crookshanks.

"My little brother wanted to talk to me."

Ginny frowned at Sirius' dark tone. She stared at him until he looked up at her, his eyes shining through his hair.

"How'd that go?" Ginny asked, her voice soft.

Sirius smiled a bit bitterly. Ginny could remember bits and pieces of conversations about Sirius' little brother. He had been a Slytherin and was the parents' favorite.

"He just wanted to shove family events in my face." Sirius was stabbing his wand harshly at a piece of uneaten turkey.

When Ginny went to put a hand on Sirius' arm, he flinched away from her. There was something dark brewing within him and Ginny couldn't help him. He stared at her and didn't seem to know who she was for a moment. Then he blinked and the darkness on his face disappeared. A grin came to his lips and he looked as he always did but, now, Ginny knew his grin was fake and that he was really upset behind his mask.

Sirius stood from his seat and offered her his hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet. Crookshanks was tearing apart the piece of fallen bread on the table.

"Curfew is going to be coming up soon, I'll take you back to your common room," Sirius said.

"Since when have you worried about curfew?" Ginny responded and Sirius sent her a look. "You can talk to me, you know-"

I know more about your life than you think, Ginny thought to herself. But her words seemed to have caused a reaction with Sirius. The darkness clouded his face again.

"What if I don't want to talk to you, Ginny? I don't even know you!" Sirius snapped. "Just because you know about Remus and you saved our lives in Hogsmeade doesn't mean you're important or worthwhile."

"I thought we were friends!" Ginny cried out, confused.

"You thought wrong," Sirius growled. "Obligations. We had a debt to pay, didn't we?"

Ginny watched, shocked, as Sirius stormed out of the kitchen. Sitting back down, she tried to calm herself but she couldn't. She was going to become friends with Snape and she wouldn't even have Sirius and James and Remus there to brighten her mood afterwards because… they didn't care.

---

That night she dreamt of number 12 Grimmauld place and the memories she had there…

"_Fred! George! GINNY!" Molly Weasley whispered shrilly. "Get back here right now! Clean up this mess!"_

_The three Weasley children climbed the stairs silently, giggling as quietly as they could. One of the good points of being at Grimmauld was that their mum couldn't yell at them, in fear of waking up the portraits. When they reached the landing they looked at each other._

"_We'll split up," Fred softly said. "All for one and one for all, eh?"_

_Ginny and George nodded and they each entered a different room. Shutting the door behind her lightly, Ginny crept into the room. She hoped that she hadn't entered a room they had yet to clean. But a fire was lit in a hearth and that meant that someone had been in here earlier… or was still in here, which meant the room was safe._

_Hiding behind one of the many bookshelves in the room, Ginny tried to peer through the shelves to see who was in the room with her. She heard someone pacing around._

"_You're right," A gruff voice said. "It's her. She's her… The resemblance…"_

"_Of course I'm right Sirius," Another voice kindly said. "I just never had enough time to tell you. There was never enough time."_

"_How is it possible? She had disappeared… We had a fight and she was gone. Moony, I searched for her for ages," Sirius spoke._

_Ginny stood on her tip toes to try to see them but she could only see dark shadows. _

"_Time travel," Remus whispered._

_Ginny leaned forward eagerly. Who had traveled in time? _

"_Time travel? How do you know?"_

"_She told me," Remus admitted slowly. _

"_Told you?" Sirius croaked painfully. "You knew? You knew all along? And I never knew, I never _suspected_. For years I never knew…How could you hide that from me?"_

_Sirius was obviously struggling with his emotions and Ginny suddenly felt horrible for intruding on this moment. Though it was extremely interesting that someone had traveled in time she had no right to be listening to the men's conversation._

"_What am I to do? She's a minor, she's so young… she doesn't know."_

_There was a pause and Ginny slowly walked away from them, towards the door. She'd rather face her mum then have to hear this personal conversation. _

"_You wait. Wait until she goes back in time and then when she comes back..." Remus let the sentence drift in the air._

_Who was this time traveling girl?_

_Reaching out, Ginny went to grab the door handle but the door flew open by itself. Molly Weasley stood there, her face flushed red in rage. Fred and George stood behind her, grinning. Ginny's breath left her when her mum saw her. She was in deep, deep trouble…_

"_Molly!" Remus cried out, coming to the door. Sirius was behind him._

_They both stopped when they saw Ginny. She turned wide eyes to them before looking back to her mum._

"_Hullo mum," Ginny said and Molly cried something, grabbing her daughter by the shoulder and pulling her out of the room._

"_Sorry Remus, Sirius!" Molly said before turning her angry looks to her three troublesome children._

_Ginny glanced behind Molly's shoulder, surprised to see Sirius' pained eyes staring at her as Remus shut the door to the room._

Something poked Ginny's shoulder hard, twice. Ginny groaned and opened one eye slowly. Above her stood Amelia, who looked as though she too had just woke up. The dormitory was still dark, meaning that the sun had yet to rise.

"Come on," Amelia muttered before yawning. "Quidditch practice."

Ginny rubbed at her eyes before yawning loudly. She stretched in her bed and watched as Amelia walked into the bathroom.

"I didn't know we had Quidditch practice!" Ginny grumbled as she got out of her bed.

Walking over to her trunk, she pulled out a pair of pants, a shirt, and a sweatshirt. She pulled off her clothes slowly, still tired, her mind working at a snail's pace. But something itched in the back of her head. Pulling on her shirt, Ginny tried to think of what it could possibly be…

"_Time travel? How do you know?"_

"_She told me," Remus admitted slowly. _

Ginny froze, her shirt hanging around her neck, as she stared blankly ahead. The dream she had- it hadn't been a dream at all, Ginny reminded herself. It was a memory of one of her first days at Grimmauld place. Fred, George, and Ginny had been testing out one of Fred and George's products and it had created quite a mess in the kitchen. They had hid in separate rooms…

Did that mean Ginny was going to tell Remus? She felt herself stiffen at the thought. But she wasn't suppose to tell anyone! Why would she tell Remus? Shaking her head, Ginny pulled her shirt on all the way. There was no time to think of what she would and wouldn't do in the weeks to come. Whatever happened would happen and there was nothing Ginny could do about it.

Surprised by how uncaring she was on the contents of her memory, Ginny focused on another thought that as itching in her head. Who ever thought of having Quidditch practice this bloody early in the morning?

---

Dai threw the Quaffle at Ginny and she almost didn't catch it. Using her fingertips, she stopped the Quaffle from continuing through the air. Dempster was flying ahead of Ginny and, when he turned to look back at her, she threw the Quaffle to him. With the amount of force she used, the Quaffle went straight to him. He caught it and Ginny sped up, flying through the chilly morning air to get close to Dempster.

Dempster threw the Quaffle back to Ginny when Edgar beat a Bludger at him and she tossed it to Dai right away. Meghan sat by the goal posts, waiting with an intent look on her face. Dai threw the Quaffle to Dempster, who threw it to Ginny as they sped towards the goal posts. Above Ginny, Amelia flew, ready to beat a Bludger towards the Chasers.

Ginny spun upside down on her broom when a Bludger sailed her way and was about to toss the Quaffle to Dempster when Arnold let out a cry. He had the Snitch clutched in his hand. Their practice was over. Slowing to a halt, Ginny sat on her broom. Despite the cold air, she was sweating. The sun had shown itself almost three hours ago and was just warming the grounds. She wished she hadn't worn her sweatshirt.

Edgar waved the team down to the ground and they all landed roughly. All their energy had gone into the practice and now they were tired and dirty… and the day had just started.

"That was a great practice, really," Edgar congratulated, beaming. "You even managed to get the Quaffle pass Meghan, Ginny!"

Ginny nodded in acknowledgement, though she knew the only reason she had been able to was because she had been so angry at Sirius. During the Quidditch practice her mind had cleared and her anger had sparked. He had made it seem as though saving their lives at Hogsmeade and keeping Remus' secret was no big thing! She had fumed over that the whole practice and, when she went to toss the Quaffle, she had tricked Meghan twice before tossing it into the left hoop.

"We'll have another practice Tuesday night, after classes," Edgar informed them. "Now go shower!"

Ginny threw her broom over her shoulder and began towards the exit of the Quidditch field. The whole team was quiet with tiredness so Ginny was surprised when she heard her name called. Looking up, Ginny saw Lily standing by the locker room doors. She sent Lily a drained smile.

"Hullo," she said.

Lily's face was bright.

"Good morning," Lily said back. "Are you ready?"

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed.

"Ready for what?"

"Didn't you get my owl this morning?" Lily asked.

"No, I haven't been to breakfast yet. Is breakfast over? I'm famished," Ginny said.

Lily nodded.

"You know how weekend breakfasts run," Lily said. "They go on for almost two hours. I assumed you all had an early breakfast and then came out to practice…"

"Nope," Ginny replied, shaking her head. "I've been out here before the sun even rose."

"Oh, well." Lily now seemed a bit nervous. "Are you ready to meet Severus?"

Ginny stared at the ground as they walked towards Hogwarts. Finally she nodded.

"Only if I have to," she answered, her voice light but her words serious.

"We can go to breakfast together, even though I've eaten already, and then I'm suppose to meet up with him by the lake around eleven so you can come with me," Lily said this all very fast, her voice excited. "Thank you, Ginny, thank you. I care for Severus very much and you can-"

"-help him, I know," Ginny said. "But I don't know how I'm suppose to help him. I don't know at all what you want me to do."

"I just want you to be his friend," Lily responded.

They entered the castle and walked straight to the Great Hall. It had all the latecomers eating breakfast. Ginny naturally turned towards the Gryffindor table but stopped when she remembered she was a Hufflepuff. Lily, though, just continued walking towards the Gryffindor table. Slowly, Ginny followed.

Taking a seat, Ginny grabbed some toast and filled her plate with eggs. Lily was sitting silently beside Ginny, her green eyes looking out the windows of the Great Hall. Ginny sighed, glancing to the doors of the Great Hall. She frowned when she saw the Marauders walking in. Right away Lily, who looked where Ginny was looking and seen the boys also, stiffened a bit.

Ginny wondered how they'd react to her presence. James, once he spotted Lily and Ginny, offered them both a 'Good morning, ladies'. Remus pushed James towards the other end of the table, smiling at the two witches. Peter didn't say anything, only offering them a timid smile. Sirius ignored Ginny completely.

She stabbed her eggs harshly.

------------------

Author's Note: Okay, maybe Halloween _won't_ be next chapter. But it will be coming soon. And, I believe, there will be a bit of a surprise for everyone next chapter. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter (even though I really don't think I like this chapter).

P.S. The Halloween chapter is going to be a very, very **dramatic** chapter, if it goes the way as planned.

**Twinsofthesky: **Thanks! I've tried to plan out this story as well as I could but it's just more of me writing what comes to mind. But I loved your review, thanks a lot.

**Illachi: **No one was going to tell a professor that Ginny spent the night with the boys. Though it isn't a common practice at Hogwarts, couples often spend nights together if they can. Whether it's the 70's or the 90's, it makes no difference. I hope you enjoyed your vacation!

**GwluvsSb:** Remus has the sad look on his face because he realizes how much danger his friends put themselves in. He cares for them very deeply and was frightened by what had happened the night before. Concerning Ginny using magic in Hogsmeade… Just like at the Burrow, the Ministry does not keep tabs on who does magic and whether they're underage or not. There is just too much magic at Hogsmeade, especially since Hogwarts is not too far away from the town, and doing magic at Hogsmeade is allowed. So Ginny was allowed to do magic and that's why the Ministry did not sent a letter about doing underage magic.

**Jugular: **Wow, thanks for the review. It makes me extremely happy to know I've attracted people who usually don't read stories like my own.

**Poisonchik88: **A two hour trip? And my story made the trip worth it? Thanks for the huge compliment! Also I'm a HUGE Remus/Ginny shipper so this story is a bit odd for me but I do love Sirius and I do love Ginny. And Remus certainly won't be left out in this story. 


	12. Chapter Twelve

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Twelve_

_One Way To Stop Crying_

"I need to go back to the Gryffindor common room!" Lily moaned, searching her bag for something that was not there. "I promised Severus I'd bring him his book. But if I'm not there, he'll leave…"

Lily shot Ginny a desperate look but Ginny pretended to be blissfully ignorant of what Lily was silently asking her. She was not going to meet Snape alone. There was no way in hell she would meet up with that murderer and try to hold a civil conversation with him while Lily went to go get a bloody book.

"Ginny…"

Ginny felt like whining and stomping her foot. She narrowed her eyes at Lily.

"This isn't fair," Ginny snapped. "I don't even like him-"

"Thank you! I'll be back in a few minutes! He'll be at the lake, by that willow tree, you know?"

Nodding her head, Ginny turned and walked out of the entrance hall. She heard Lily run up the set of stairs, going in the direction of the Gryffindor common room. After she had finished eating breakfast, Lily and Ginny had exited the Great Hall. It wasn't until Lily, who was in the middle of telling Ginny about her potions homework, noticed that she didn't have a book that things became difficult.

Now Ginny was walking alone to the lake to meet up with Snape. Sighing, she brushed her hair off of her shoulders and stepped out of the large front doors. The weather was much warmer now that it was midday. A gentle breeze was blowing and the sun had heated up the air. Walking across the grounds, it only took Ginny a few minutes to get near the lake.

The light from the sun reflected on the water and there was a lone figure sitting against the willow tree. Ginny took a deep breath and continued forward. She was brave, she was Gryffindor, and she'd be able to talk to Snape for a few minutes. But, deep inside, Ginny knew this wasn't going to work out. There was no way this was going to work out.

When Ginny was close enough to Snape that, if she wanted to, she could kick him, he glanced up at her. He was dressed in black and his legs were crossed at the ankles. Surprisingly, he looked rather elegant. Ginny pursed her lips at him and his black eyes darted over her.

"Is there something you want?" Snape hissed.

Ginny shifted her weight from one foot to another. Perhaps it would be best if she stayed silent. When he realized she wasn't going to answer, his smirk grew, showing crooked teeth.

"Representing the Hufflepuffs well, aren't you?" Snape asked. "Please sit down; I enjoy having mute retards stare at me."

Her cheeks flushed but Ginny continued to be silent. Lily would be here soon… But, in reality, it would take Lily a good twenty minutes to get outside after going to the Gryffindor common room. And that was if Lily ran the whole way and didn't take a break once.

"Or perhaps you've come to start up the duel-"

"I've come with Lily, you arse," Ginny snapped.

Snape blinked and looked behind Ginny. His sarcasm was causing Ginny's blood to boil.

"I don't see Evans," he said slowly, speaking to her as though she were stupid.

Ginny smiled sweetly.

"How does your eye feel?" Ginny asked. "My hand hurt quite a bit after our little fight and I was concerned over your eye. You didn't have to go to the Hospital Wing, did you?"

Snape sneered at her, getting to his feet.

"Don't worry, Hufflepuff," Snape answered. "Your weak punch hurt me as much as your weak mind. And weak minds only hurt the person who has one."

Her wand sat inside her pocket and she itched to grab it. She smiled at him, though she was anything but happy.

"You should know enough about weak minds-"

"And you should know enough about keeping your pretty little head out of other people's lives!" Snape snarled at her.

Ginny's fists clenched and her stomach tightened.

"You, Severus Snape, are the only person I know that goes out of their way to try to destroy other people's lives," Ginny cried out. "I do not want a lecture from you on minding my own business!"

Snape didn't seem threatened. His face was blank but there was a glow of interest in his dark eyes. Ginny was fuming with rage.

"Don't tell me it was by accident you let it slip about Remus?" Ginny spat.

His eyebrow twitched and his lips twisted into a smirk.

"Lupin? I don't care for Lupin." Snape shrugged.

"Liar," Ginny responded.

Her insult caused his smirk to fall. Ginny felt a bit of triumph.

"He's a creature of the dark," Snape said, touching his chin with his index and middle finger. "He deserves any cruelty he receives. It's just a shame that I must try_ so_ hard to keep the secret safe."

It was then that Ginny grabbed her wand and pointed it at Snape. His wand was out and pointing at her also and she tried to control herself. He wasn't worth it… there was no point… it would solve nothing… But it would feel so good to curse him.

"_You_ are the creature of the dark!" Ginny said. "And you are not worthy of being in Remus' presence!"

Snape laughed at that and it rang in her ears.

"What a loyal friend!" Snape commented.

Ginny saw, though, that his hand gripped his wand tighter, even though his voice was mocking.

"I know what you're going to become," Ginny said, her voice suddenly quiet. "I know what you're going to do and I hope you rot in hell for it. You're going to grow up to be a lying coward, you are going to grow up to be a-"

"Hey!" A sudden cry came but Ginny ignored it.

Snape also ignored it, staring at Ginny with blank eyes.

"You're going to grow up to be a _murderer_," Ginny hissed. "No one will love you and it will be _all your fault_."

"Ginny!"

Ginny put down her wand and Snape did the same, though his actions seemed more mechanical than thought-out. Turning her head a bit, Ginny saw the Marauders walking towards them. Her anger reignited when she saw Sirius and she looked back at Snape.

"Just remember what I said."

Walking away from Snape, she walked towards the four boys. Apparently they had been coming to her rescue. Her anger boiled and she felt her hands shaking from it. She went to pass the group of boys but James jumped in her way, taking a hold of arm. Hissing, she snatched her arm from his grip.

"What!" Ginny cried out, glaring at him.

James looked shocked.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" James asked, reaching to touch her again.

She stepped away from him, still glaring. Behind James was Remus, who looked just as surprised as the former. Sirius was looking from Snape, who was still by the willow tree, to Ginny. Peter was watching the scene, curious.

"None of your business!" Ginny snapped. "It's not like we're friends or anything, right, Sirius?"

Sirius' face fell a bit and James and Remus looked at him. She used this moment to walk away from the group. Walking up the stairs to the front door, she almost crashed into Lily. Lily was smiling and was out of breath but her smile dropped when she saw Ginny.

"Hey? What's-"

"I'm not going to try to be his friend, Lily, and never ask me to do something as ridiculous as that ever again!" Ginny snapped, walking past Lily and further into the castle.

Ginny couldn't control her temper; she was still shaking over her fight with Snape when she reached the second floor of Hogwarts. Cursing, Ginny leaned against the wall, putting her head in her hands. She wasn't sure how long she stayed like that, going over what Snape had said to her and what she had said back.

"Ginny?"

Looking up, Ginny saw the bright eyes of Dorcas.

"What are you doing?" Dorcas asked, sounding a bit amused.

Ginny's lip trembled a bit and Dorcas amusement turned into concern. She walked closer to the red haired witch and wrapped her arms around her. Collapsing in her friend's embrace, Ginny let herself cry.

"Ginny, what's wrong? Oh, Ginny," Dorcas cooed softly, trying to calm her friend.

"Everything," Ginny sobbed. "I'm not cut out for this…"

---

October soon rolled around, bringing chilly winds and cold air with it. Ginny had never felt so homesick before and school had never been more difficult for her. She was thankful, though, because it seemed that school was always more difficult when she was ignoring the Marauders. Remus and James had made several attempts to talk to her but she had ignored them. Sirius had yet to apologize to her and she wasn't going to let him take the easy way out; she knew if she became friends with Remus and James again she would be friends with Sirius.

She hoped that he was having as much difficulty not being her friend as she was with not being his friend.

Lily had also tried to talk to Ginny but had stopped after seeing Ginny's death glare. Because of Lily's thoughts that being friends with Snape would help him, Snape had now become much more interested in Ginny. She could feel his eyes on her whenever she was in the Great Hall. It was unnerving and she always felt a bit filthy afterwards.

Sitting in the library, Ginny tried to focus on her homework. She would have been in the Hufflepuff common room but all the students were buzzing with excitement. The date for the trip to Hogsmeade had been posted. Even Dorcas and Marlene had been thrilled and were nonstop talking in the dormitory, leaving Ginny with the only option of going to the library to finish her homework.

Brushing her quill against her lips, Ginny's eyes skimmed the page in front of her. Her book was doing her no good, though, for McGonagall had started on a rather tough subject today. Ginny sighed, shutting _Guide to Advanced Transfiguration. _She didn't have Transfiguration for another two days so the essay didn't have to be complete tonight but she would like to get it done. Quidditch practices were now on Tuesdays and Thursdays so she wouldn't be able to do it tomorrow night.

Stretching her arms above her head, she could hear the cracking of her bones. What other homework did she have? Picking up her bag, Ginny pulled out her Charms book.

"Hard at work?" A voice asked quietly from behind her.

Ginny spun around to see Remus standing behind her. He smiled at her and, surprisingly, his smile didn't falter when she didn't answer. She began to collect her books and things right away, after all wasn't she just thinking how she'd finish her transfiguration later? Remus, however, took a seat across from her at the table.

"Now, Ginny, don't run away or I'll have to Stun you," Remus casually said.

His words caused Ginny's head to snap up to look at him. Remus' smile was gone and he looked quite serious. Ginny took a deep breath and straightened in her seat.

"Sirius told us what he said to you," Remus informed her. "And he told us why he said it."

There was a pause in which Ginny guessed she was suppose to say something. Remus sighed when she didn't.

"Sirius didn't mean a word of it, I promise you. He likes you a lot, you are one of the only people who can make him laugh and that's why he enjoys your company so much."

"Is this talk suppose to make me forgive him?" Ginny asked, folding her arms across her chest.

Remus' eyebrows rose.

"Where is all this anger coming from?" Remus questioned her.

"There is no anger," Ginny snapped.

"What happened between you and Snape the other week?" Ginny pushed herself out of her seat, unhappy with the conversation.

"That's none of your business!" she harshly said.

"Why?" Remus asked, also standing. "Why are you keeping secrets?"

"Because I'm so good at keeping secrets!" Ginny gave Remus a meaningful look and he huffed, rolling his eyes to the ceiling.

"We're friends, Ginny-"

"I don't even know you!" Ginny was using exactly what Sirius had said to her, she realized, and her stomach turned at the thought. "How can we be friends when I don't even know you?"

Her own words stabbed her in the heart and she tried not to whimper. Why was she always crying? She never use to cry this much…

"Ginny, come here."

Remus grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him. There was a lump in her throat and she couldn't look Remus in the eyes. He gave her time to calm herself before speaking.

"Sometimes people are meant to be friends," Remus quietly said. "Some things happen and you can't help but be friends with the people you experienced them with."

Ginny finally looked at Remus. He was smiling a bit and Ginny nodded in agreement.

"We all like you very much and we all want to be your friend. Sirius just… needs to grow up. I think he's actually a bit scared of you."

A chuckle came from Ginny and Remus' smile grew.

"Why would he be scared of me?" Ginny asked.

"You're the first girl," Remus said slowly. "that he wants to be friends with, that he doesn't want to snog or shag… You don't accept his, pardon my language, shit and you didn't go running back to him after he yelled at you. You make him laugh and he enjoys your company."

Remus paused, thinking over something. Ginny watched him before taking a seat at the table. He sat down also.

"I actually would like to warn you against Sirius," Remus told her.

Ginny's eyebrows rose.

"I've known Sirius for six years and I know his way with girls… I don't think it will be long before his fear of you will turn into desire."

Though the situation was serious, Ginny couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"I thought you said he wanted to be friends with me?"

"He does," Remus said quickly. "But Sirius has a habit of doing things he shouldn't. He also has a habit of breaking girls' hearts."

Ginny laughed to ease Remus' concern. He grinned a bit, brushing some of his dirty blonde hair away from his face.

"Are you trying to protect my virtue, Remus?" Ginny teased.

"You're exactly what Sirius' parents would hate for him to have," Remus told her. "You're a Hufflepuff, though this is meant for no offence towards you. You're filled with life, you're carefree, you don't back down during fights… You're the exact opposite of what any Black, in their opinion, should have. And that will make Sirius want you even more."

Blushing, Ginny realized that Remus was very serious about what he was saying. Ginny licked her lips.

"If you and Sirius do ever date… if he ever breaks your heart… I don't want to lose you as a friend. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" Remus asked.

"Yes," Ginny answered.

The atmosphere lightened and Ginny leaned back in her seat. Remus reached over and took her Transfiguration book.

"Working on homework?" he asked.

"Yeah, bloody Transfiguration. I'm terrible at what McGonagall just taught," Ginny told him.

"Well, good thing James Potter is here to help you!"

Ginny looked behind her, her eyes dancing. James standing there, wearing a grin.

"I'm brilliant," he told her. "Shhh."

Ginny burst out in laughter. When she managed to control herself, she tilted her head.

"You didn't happen to hear our conversation, did you?" Ginny narrowed her eyes mockingly at him.

James took a seat next to her.

"Of course not. I have some dignity, believe it or not! Listening in on other people's conversation- your words hurt me!"

"He really wasn't," Remus promised.

Taking the book from Remus, James opened it.

"So what assignment did the lovely Minerva give you?" James asked.

Ginny began giggling again and Remus joined her.

---

After handing Professor McCartney her essay on the magical components of the number seven, Ginny pushed through the crowd of students and grabbed her bag. Marlene stood by the door, waiting for Ginny. The two girls had rushed to the professor's desk before the rest of the students, hoping to get out of the class first. Ginny sent Marlene a smile when she reached her.

"Ready?"

"Quite," Marlene said.

They left the classroom. It had been only a few minutes of walking down the corridor with a slight conversation going before someone interrupted them.

"Marlene!"

A boy was running towards them. Marlene let out an aggravated sigh.

"Hello Conner," Marlene said.

Conner was the boy Marlene had kissed, and was now dating, after Marcus broke up with her. Ginny smiled when Conner glanced at her.

"This is Ginny," Marlene introduced, sounding very bored.

"Hey," Conner greeted.

"Nice to meet you," Ginny responded.

Marlene sent Ginny a look and she smiled sweetly in response. During Arthimancy Marlene had informed Ginny that she wanted to break up with Conner. It seemed that the time had come right now.

"I'll let you two have some time together," Ginny said.

Ginny continued to walk down the corridor, leaving Marlene and Conner alone. If she listened closely enough she could hear their quiet argument. Only a few moments had passed before Ginny was joined in her walk though. She looked up, surprised to see Fabian and Gideon next to her. They grinned at her and she smiled back.

"Long time, no see!" Fabian cried out.

"Indeed," Ginny replied.

"We have something to show you," Gideon told her.

Ginny's eyebrows rose. When they didn't show her what it is, she frowned.

"Well, what is it?"

Fabian chuckled and stopped walking. Gideon and Ginny followed suit.

"Sit down," Gideon said, falling onto the ground.

"In the middle of the corridor?" Ginny asked.

"Course, where else?"

Sitting in between Gideon and Fabian, Ginny watched as Gideon pulled out an envelope. He handed it to her.

"We told our sister Molly about you. She liked what we told her of you and we asked her to sent pictures of her and her family," Fabian said.

Ginny's breath left her.

"Why?" Ginny asked quietly, taking the envelope.

The weight of the envelope surprised Ginny. There had to be quite a few pictures in it.

"We wanted you to see the resemblance between you two," Gideon told her. "And we wanted some pictures of our nephews either way. Stun two Slytherins with one spell, you know?"

Ginny opened the envelope and pulled out the stack of pictures in it. The first one she saw was of her mum. Her mum looked extremely young and was much skinnier.

"That's Molly."

The picture had to be taken when her mum was still at Hogwarts, for the castle loomed in the background. Ginny saw that they did, indeed, look exactly alike. Molly's body was much curvier but they had the same hair, the same nose, the same chin, the same eyes… An ache grew in her heart.

She put the picture in the back of the pile and pressed a finger to the face of her father in the new picture. He had more hair and was carrying a boy on his shoulders.

"That's Arthur, her husband," Fabian said. "And that's Bill. He's the oldest."

Bill was laughing hysterically in the picture.

"He'll be coming to Hogwarts in a few years," Gideon told her.

Ginny flipped through the pictures, her eyes filling with tears as she stared at her family. The last picture was of the whole family and a very large Molly.

"Pregnant," Fabian said.

"With twins!" Gideon gleefully shouted.

Fred and George. Ginny knew she was about to start sobbing and handed the pictures to Gideon. She took a moment to collect herself before speaking.

"They're lovely," Ginny told them.

They beamed in pride.

"Aren't they? They're quite a handful too. We spend the summer with Molly and that bunch," Gideon replied. "Help take care of them."

Ginny stood from her spot on the ground.

"Thank you for showing the pictures to me," Ginny whispered.

"Of course! We must be running, though, or we'd stay and chat," Fabian said. "Detention, you know."

"We've had thirty detentions this year!" Gideon laughed. "We'll beat Potter and Black!"

"See you soon, Ginny."

"Yes, very soon."

"Going to Hogsmeade?"

"We'll get a drink or something!"

"Till then!"

Their voices faded as they turned a corner at the end of the corridor. Ginny was shaking as she thought of her family. She wanted to see them, she needed to see them. Never had Ginny missed her family this much. A dry sob erupted from her mouth and she hastily covered her mouth with her hands. No more crying, she told herself, not tonight.

But then she looked down and saw on the ground a forgotten picture. It must have fallen from Gideon's hands. Ginny bent down and picked it up, a sad smile coming to her lips. The picture was of her dad, mum, Bill, Charlie and Percy. Molly wasn't pregnant in the picture, so it had to be a bit old. Staring at her family caused the ache in her heart to grow.

"I miss you," Ginny whispered, tearfully.

"Hey."

Ginny jumped, looking up with wide eyes. Sirius sent her an uncertain smile.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"What is it with people being able to find me no matter where I am?" Ginny asked harshly, shoving the picture in her bag.

Sirius blinked.

"Well, I'd guess that it's your red hair… If you were a brunette then you'd be harder to find, I suspect-"

"Shut up," Ginny said.

She pushed past him, unable to think. Her family… It would be so long till she saw them again… Were they okay? What if something happened?

"I just wanted to- Ginny, where are you of to? Hey!" Sirius cried out, grabbing her wrist to stop her from walking.

The contact caused Ginny's face to crumble and Sirius looked panicked. He dropped her wrist.

"Are you really that mad at me?" Sirius asked.

Ginny's vision was blurry as she stared up at Sirius.

"Yes!" She yelled before letting out a sob. "No, of course not, you idiot."

Sirius didn't know what to do. He looked up and down the corridor and saw a group of students coming towards them. Taking a hold of her hand, Sirius pulled her after him until he came across a door. Yanking it open, he rushed inside and tugged her in after him.

They were in a broom closest. Ginny whimpered and tried to cover her face with her hands but Sirius was still holding onto her.

"You forgive me? I didn't mean what I said, I didn't at all," Sirius said quickly. "I want to be friends-"

Ginny's back was pressed against the wall and she knew that Sirius' was also. They had hardly any space and Ginny began to feel a bit claustrophobic.

"Forgiven," Ginny choked out.

"Then what's wrong?" Sirius asked desperately.

The thought of her family caused Ginny to begin to weep again, tears falling from her eyes. Sirius was trying to help her, to fix her, but he couldn't.

"Stop, stop crying," he pleaded. "Why are you crying?"

"I miss them," Ginny whimpered.

Sirius used his free hand to wipe her face dry.

"Miss who?"

Ginny closed her eyes.

"My family. I miss them so much."

"You'll see them soon. Christmas is coming up," Sirius told her. "And you can owl them and-"

"No, no," Ginny moaned, shaking her head. "I won't. I can't. Voldemort-"

Ginny was shaking again, though she wasn't sure she ever stopped, and she tugged her hand out of Sirius' grip. Voldemort ruined everything. She could be home right now, home and enjoying the company of her family. Ron, Hermione, and Harry wouldn't be wasting their youth trying to save the world…

"Oh…" Sirius whispered.

Grabbing onto Sirius' shirt, Ginny opened her eyes. Sirius was staring at her with a peculiar expression on his face and Ginny knew what he was going to do before he did it. He was going to stop her tears the only way he knew how.

His kiss wasn't hesitant. It wasn't shy and it certainly wasn't soft. Sirius' kiss was skilled and harsh. She gasped in surprise, opening her mouth to him. He lifted her chin up with his hand and used his other hand to pull her body closer to him. Ginny grabbed Sirius' shoulders, her stomach jumping and her heartbeat increasing.

When his tongue touched hers, her back arched. Sirius groaned a bit in the back of his throat. Ginny pulled her head back in an attempt to catch her breath but Sirius pulled her back only a second later. She kissed his upper lip and then kissed his lower lip. Then, when she pressed her lips to the corner of his mouth, he seemed to have regained thought.

"Ginny?"

"Sirius…" Ginny whispered his name. "That kiss was for all the wrong reasons."

"Agreed."

Sirius' hand was on the skin of Ginny's back, under her shirt, and she shivered. When did his hand get there? She couldn't remember. The kiss had been fast, a blur really.

"But at least you're not crying," Sirius joked before pausing. "I'm sorry about your family."

"Me too," Ginny answered sadly.

"I didn't mean to kiss you."

"Yes, you did," Ginny said.

"Only to make you stop crying…"

"We'll forget about it. We're friends," Ginny told him. "Don't worry over it."

"Forget about it?" Sirius looked a bit doubtful but Ginny didn't notice. "Right. It's forgotten."

"What is?" Ginny asked innocently.

Sirius grinned at her charmingly and opened the door to the broom closest.

-------------------

Author's Note: Well there's your surprise! They've kissed! Sorry for any mistakes in the chapter, I read through it real quick. But can kisses ever really be forgotten? We'll find out, I guess. I do have a few things I would like to say. For one, my dog had puppies! Woo, three little cuties. Because of this it will be a bit harder to write until they get older and can take care of themselves. Also, I have a new job and I work there almost every night. This will be taking up a lot of my time. School is starting up in a week and I'm going away this weekend so… I don't know when the next chapter will be out. It **could** be written tonight but it would be very hard.

But, one thing I'd like to ask of my readers, I'd really like to reach 250 reviews for this story by the 14th chapter. I know, it's a bit selfish, but that many reviews would help me write so much. I need to hear your thoughts on this story, that's why it took so long for this chapter to come out… So, please, do review and tell me what you thought of the chapter. It helps out more then you know. And sorry if you hated this chapter. Well, until next time!

P.S. Thank you for all the reviews you've already given me!


	13. Chapter Thirteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Thirteen_

_Signing Your Soul To The Devil_

"_I just never had enough time to tell you. There was never enough time."_

It was a beautiful day, with a bright sun despite the slightly bitter winds. All of Hogwarts seemed to know that this would be one of the last days with weather like this, especially with how October was ending so quickly, and everyone seemed to be outside. This did not exclude the professors or ghosts, both of whom were wandering the grounds with delighted smiles on their faces.

"_How is it possible? She had disappeared… We had a fight and she was gone. Moony, I searched for her for ages."_

Among the people outside were the Marauders and Ginny. It was Sunday and, after spending all of Saturday completing homework (at least Remus did), they had decided to bring a board for a game of Wizard Chess with them outside. Sitting beside the lake, they all took turns playing the champion of the previous game.

"_Time travel."_

Despite the laughs and smiles, though, Ginny felt as though she had a weight on her shoulders. She stared at Remus, words being whispered in her ear from her dream from the night before. This was the third time in the past week that she woke up feeling nausea, her stomach churning. Those three nights she was reminded of the fact that she would eventually give the burden of her secret to Remus.

"_Time travel? How do you know?"_

Was the secret going to spill from her lips by accident or would she purposely tell Remus, sit him down and allow him to know why she'd been so mysterious since she came to Hogwarts? Would Dumbledore find out that she let someone know that she came from the future? How was Remus going to react? The questions had been plaguing Ginny's mind, distracting her from her studies and from truly enjoying her time with Remus.

"_She told me."_

Frowning, Ginny tried to focus on what the boys were doing. Sirius and Remus were currently playing the game, with Remus beating Sirius by a good amount. James was writing out plays on his parchment for Quidditch, for Gryffindor and Slytherin were going to play each other in the first match of the season in just two weeks. Peter was casting spells, causing the grass around him to change colors or melt.

Stretching her legs in front of her, Ginny glanced at the plays James was creating. His forehead was wrinkled and he was playing with his ear with his free hand. Though his glasses were a different shape, as are the color of his eyes, Ginny still couldn't help but be astonished by the resemblance between Harry and James. She took a deep breath just as his eyes met hers.

"Trying to see my plays, eh?" James asked, rolling up the parchment with a grin. "Tricky little Hufflepuff!"

"I was not trying to see your plays," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes. "I have no doubt that, when it comes time for us to play each other, my team will beat yours."

"Oh ho ho!" James cried out, throwing his hands into the air. "Do you not realize you're talking to the Gryffindor Quidditch team _captain_?"

Sirius began to snicker, turning his attention away from the game and causing Remus to huff in frustration.

"I don't think she quite realizes that, mate," Sirius told him.

"Don't cut into our conversation, Sirius," Ginny snapped jokingly, causing Peter to laugh.

"Hey!" Sirius said. "Both of you need to relax a bit, it's all in good fun."

Ginny and Peter shared a look.

"Padfoot, how long have you been thinking up a move?" Peter asked suddenly.

"Probably a good forty minutes," Remus answered before Sirius could.

"Now, now! Remus told me to be a bit less rash so I'm thinking up a good move! And, in the end, I shall beat Sir Lupin, the man who believes he can win any Wizard Chess game!" Sirius declared, grinning and catching Ginny's eyes.

She smiled back.

"If I knew it would take you this long to _think_ I wouldn't have said anything to you," Remus said, sighing.

Sirius' jaw dropped open and Ginny laughed. Grabbing a random chess piece, Sirius slammed it down onto an open spot before sticking his tongue out at Remus.

"Git!" Sirius cried.

As soon as Sirius put down his piece, Remus crossed his legs and put his chin in his hand, trying to think of where to go next. Ginny tilted her head a bit as watched Remus. He would know her secret eventually…

"Ginny, let's go for a walk."

Ginny looked up in surprise as James reached out to take her hand. She wrapped her fingers around his and let him pull her to her feet. The three boys seemed hardly surprised that James had just asked Ginny to walk with him so Ginny followed James with a smile. They walked in silence for a few minutes, passing by fellow students and nodding their heads in greeting.

They ended up walking to the edge of the Forbidden Forest and Ginny turned to James with her eyebrows raised. He simply shrugged, lowering his head so he was looking at the ground and kicking his foot in the dirt.

"Are we going in there?" Ginny asked, looking into the forest.

"No, of course not," James replied as though it were silly for her to even think that. "We'd be caught in an instance. I just wanted to get away from the crowd of students walking around."

Ginny slowly nodded her head, her interest peaked.

"What's on your mind?" she questioned, curiosity seeping into her veins.

"Nothing." He sent her a small grin. "I'm just realizing how terrible my situation is."

Ginny nudged James with her elbow.

"Keep talking," she told him, her tone playful.

Unexpectedly James collapsed onto the ground, leaning his back against a huge tree with a dramatic sigh. Ginny followed suit and they were soon sitting shoulder to shoulder.

"I've been trying to win her heart for years but she won't give me the time of day. But she… she's friends with _Snape_. He calls her a Mud- you know. He calls her that all the time. But she's friends with him." James ran a hand through his hair. "I must be much more terrible if she can look at him with a smile and look at me with disgust."

There was silence as Ginny tried to get over her surprise that James was talking to her about this and as she tried to think of what to say. James had the same look Harry would have when he was crushed and it caused her stomach to tighten a bit.

"She'll come around," Ginny promised softly.

After all, Lily had to come around. If she didn't then how was Harry even alive?

James sent Ginny a frown.

"Why do you think that?" he asked. "She doesn't even talk to me anymore. Not that she ever willingly talked to me to begin with."

"You two haven't fought lately, though," Ginny pointed out. "And she's always nice-"

"She's polite-"

"Lily has been much kinder to you then how she use to be, or so I've heard. Didn't you two use to fight all the time?"

James nodded slowly.

"If I even tried to talk to her before she'd yell at me. Now she… doesn't yell."

"She's nice to you now," Ginny said, smiling to reassure James. "You do know what this means, don't you?"

When James shook his head, Ginny licked her lips.

"It means she just might need a push in the right direction," she told him.

"What does that mean?"

What did that mean? If the signs were right then Lily was beginning to get use to James. After the incident in Hogsmeade, Lily had been much kinder to the Marauders- though she wasn't the nicest witch to them. She was polite. They had gained her respect. So what would help move her and James along to becoming a couple?

"Did you and Lily fight?" James asked suddenly.

"Hmm?" Ginny looked at James.

"You two seemed like you were becoming friends and then you stopped talking. Just something I noticed," James said.

"She wanted me to do something for her that I didn't want to do-"

It was as though she was hit with a Stunner. The idea came to Ginny with such force that she stopped talking. She knew exactly what she'd have to do to get Lily and James moving along. Her breath got caught in her throat and she stood up, looking down at James with an almost dumbfounded expression. _Just don't think about it yet_, she told herself.

"Don't fret about it, James," Ginny said slowly.

He looked curious.

"Why not?"

"Miss Stiles! Is that you?"

The sudden shout caused Ginny to look away from James at lightening speed. Her stomach sank and her eyes grew wide. James began to laugh, getting to his feet as he did so.

"Is that Slughorn? Are you one of Slughorn's favorites?" he asked, still laughing. "One of his 'rising stars'!"

Ginny groaned as the large teacher walked up to her and James. If only she had been hidden… Since her first and only meeting with him during this time period, Ginny had been very good at keeping her distance from the professor who obviously favored her. But now she couldn't hide.

Professor Slughorn waddled up to Ginny and James, a large grin on his face. She fought back another groan.

"My, it's been a while since our last talk, hasn't it?" Slughorn cried out, patting his stomach in pleasure. "I've been searching for you, you should know, Miss Stiles."

Ginny sent him a falsely bright smile and James coughed next to her, though his cough sounded a bit like a hidden snicker.

"I've been busy with Quidditch and…"

"Schoolwork," James supplied, winking at her when they caught eyes.

She nodded quickly. Slughorn looked at James for a long second, as though trying to remember who he was, before turning a glowing face back to Ginny.

"Ah, of course! You should have visited me, however!" Slughorn wiggled his finger at her. "Nevertheless, I have an invitation for you!"

"An invitation?"

"I'm holding a Halloween party for all my rising stars!" Slughorn said.

James was definitely laughing this time, though he was still trying to cover it with coughs. Slughorn sent James a concerned look and Ginny patted his back hard, which caused James to laugh more.

"It'll be held the night before Halloween! I expect you to be there, Miss Stiles!"

Ginny shook her head.

"I think I have Quidditch practice that night," Ginny lied.

James stopped coughing, throwing an arm around Ginny's shoulders and hugging her tight to his side.

"Now, now, Ginny, you are one of the lucky few who get to go to Professor Slughorn's parties! You _must_ go, I'm sure Bones won't mind if you miss it."

"James-" Ginny warned.

Slughorn looked delighted.

"That's the spirit, boy! And you're… you're James Potter. You use to destroy quite a few cauldrons when you were in Potions, didn't you?" Slughorn asked.

James grinned.

"Mostly on purpose," James reassured the professor.

"Yes, you and that Sirius Black," Slughorn said, chuckling loudly. "The biggest troublemakers of any class I've had!"

"We try," James said, seeming to straighten in pride.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well, must be going. I was just going to the forest, have to get supplies for my class of sixth years who will be experimenting on different- well, I'm sure you don't really care as neither of you have Potions anymore," Slughorn realized, frowning a bit.

James nodded and Ginny sent Slughorn a small smile.

"So I'll see you at my party. Don't have me hunt you down now." Slughorn laughed at himself again. "You can bring a date, if you please. Bye now."

When Slughorn had waddled out of sight, Ginny punched James in the arm. He burst out into laughter, holding his now wounded arm and stumbling away from Ginny. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"What did you do that for?" Ginny hissed, walking away from James and back towards where the Marauders were.

James rushed after Ginny, chuckling. He threw his arm around her shoulders.

"Now, Ginny, what I said was true! Very few students get to go to Slughorn's parties and I have not been one of the lucky ones! Here's my chance."

Ginny began to laugh at his words.

"What makes you think I'm going to invite you to come with me?"

---

Crookshanks purred loudly as Ginny stroked his fur. The dormitory was empty except for Marlene, who was writing a letter to her family on her bed. In front of Ginny lay the picture of her family that Fabian and Gideon had forgotten in the corridor. She touched the face of her father before looking away. Constantly the absence of Ginny's family caused her to want to cry but she forced herself not to; she had other things to worry over.

How much of herself was she willing to sacrifice for the sake of the future? Ginny had already sacrificed a few months of her life to come back in time to get a book and she could possibly have to sacrifice more of her time. She had put up with spending time and growing to like people who would be dead in the near future, she had hidden the tales of the future from those who would abuse the power of knowing its secrets, and she had tried to keep a normal face throughout it all.

Was she now willing to go to Lily and ask her for a tradeoff, to help James and Lily see past their differences and get together? To do so she would have to give up her pride and try to help an enemy, to try to help a boy who would grow up to be a murderer.

It was a tough decision but, at the same time, it wasn't at all. James needed Lily in a way that Ginny had never seen a person need another person before. The night of the attack on Hogsmeade she had been the only one who could awake him; even Sirius hadn't been able to do that. And perhaps Ginny's words to Snape would save him from… something horrid, though Ginny wasn't sure what was more horrid then destroying other people's lives. Looking back down at the picture, Ginny stopped petting Crookshanks and sighed.

"Dear Merlin, help me," she whispered.

Marlene looked up when she heard Ginny's voice and Ginny sent her a weak smile. Winking at Ginny, Marlene put down her quill and crawled off her bed, walking over to Ginny's. Quickly, Ginny grabbed the picture and hid it behind her.

"Are you okay?" Marlene asked.

Ginny nodded.

"Yeah, perfectly fine," Ginny answered. "How'd writing your letter go?"

"Fine." Marlene shrugged as she sat on the edge of Ginny's bed. "My dad wanted to know how school was going, you know how that works. Had to tell him I was getting brilliant grades on all my tests, I was handing in my homework, being a good girl…"

"Not running around with boys," Ginny finished, giggling a bit.

Marlene pursed her lips a bit but nodded.

"Though you're one to talk." Marlene was picking at her nails as she spoke. "You and those Marauder boys have become quite close, I've noticed."

"Yeah, we have," Ginny agreed slowly.

"Any of them catch your eyes?"

Now the dark haired witch looked up at her friend with interest. Ginny grinned a bit but shook her head.

"No? Not that James Potter? Well, him and Lily Evans… either way there's always Sirius Black. He's very handsome, isn't he?"

Sirius' face flashed before Ginny's eyes and she felt her cheeks flush a bit. That wasn't the reaction she expected from herself and her eyes flew to Marlene, who was smiling mysteriously.

"Ah, so you've finally found a boy," Marlene whispered.

"No! No, he's very handsome, yes, but I don't _like_ him-"

"And who are you trying to convince of that?" Marlene picked up Crookshanks and began petting his fluffy fur.

"You, of course," Ginny replied, fighting the nervousness that had suddenly grabbed her.

"Or yourself," Marlene said, smirking. "My, my, Miss Stiles, you have a bit of a crush, don't you?"

Even as Ginny shook her head, though, she began to realize just what she'd thought of Sirius for the past week since their kiss. There was never awkwardness; they had managed to stay friends. But when he'd grab her hand or touch her waist lightly she'd get that butterfly feeling… She had just never thought on it for Harry was always in the back of her mind. Oh, if Harry knew her thoughts he would positively… Harry would positively…

Ginny forget Marlene was there until the girl touched her shoulder.

"Hey, don't look so down about liking someone, okay?"

---

Quidditch practice was foul that afternoon. Ginny couldn't wait to get off her broom and back to her dormitory for a good night's rest before a, most likely, long school day. Ginny was jolted to reality when Dai suddenly threw the Quaffle to her. She leaned back on her broom and attempted to grab the Quaffle with her fingers but it barely brushed the tips of her fingers. A curse left her lips as the Quaffle began to fall to the ground, saved by Dempster, who had swooped down and caught the ball last minute.

"Ginny!"

Ginny looked behind her, feeling the need to curse again when she saw Edgar flying up to her.

"Ginny, you've been off all night," Edgar cried out. "You've caught about two of the thirty throws given to you and you've been roaming the pitch like a bloody snail! I'll have you know we fly against Ravenclaw in a month! A month! If you keep playing like this-"

"This is one bloody practice," Ginny snapped.

"An important practice!"

"Edgar, leave her alone," Amelia cut in. "We're all tired and it's been a long week."

"Are you going to be tired in a month? Are you going to play like this in a month if we happen to have a long week beforehand?" Edgar asked angrily. "Slytherin wouldn't have a practice like this! Gryffindor wouldn't have a practice like this-"

"If they don't have bad practices they're inhuman," Dai lightly said as he spun by.

"Then maybe they are," Edgar said, folding his arms across his chest.

"Oh, really," Amelia giggled as she spoke, causing Edgar to crack a smile. "Can we get to dinner now, Edgar?"

"Dinner?" Edgar blinked.

"Or maybe I can start on my homework." Meghan flew up to the group, stretching her arms above her head.

"Start your homework? The sun is setting now and it's Sunday, you'll have hardly any time," Amelia told her.

"Just enough time, actually!" Meghan replied, grinning.

Ginny relaxed on her broom as the Quidditch team began to fly to the ground. Everyone landed with the atmosphere much lighter then it had been only five minutes ago. Waving goodbye to her teammates, Ginny lifted her broom onto her shoulder and began to slowly walk off the pitch. Most of the other members had gone to the lockers to collect their things. Ginny sighed, glad the day was nearing its end. But before she even took several steps she realized the day wasn't over yet.

A shadowed figure was leaning against a wall, staring at her through his hair. She couldn't help but smile as she walked over to him, even as flashes of her conversation with Marlene came to mind.

"Hullo, love," Sirius greeted, his lips curling when he saw her face.

Sirius pushed off the wall and reached out, wrapping his fingers around her wrist, tugging her closer to him. She breathed in sharply.

"Ready for that game of Quidditch you promised me?" Sirius asked and Ginny noticed the broom he held in his other hand.

She laughed, stepping away from him. He let go of her wrist.

"I never promised you a game," she answered. "And I hope you weren't spying on our practice. Edgar would have a fit."

"I was not spying!" Sirius cried. "And you might not have promised me a game but it is obvious you weren't playing you're best just then. Or, at least, I hope that wasn't your best."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Something on your mind?"

Looking at Sirius, she saw that he was very… well, serious.

"Yes," Ginny responded honestly.

"Well, a game with me shall surely help you," Sirius told her.

Ginny shook her head. She wasn't in the mood. When Ginny told Sirius that, he groaned obnoxiously.

"Play me. Even though I'll beat you without a doubt-"

"Sirius, I need sleep, not jokes," Ginny said.

Sirius laughed at her.

"Really, come on," Sirius pleaded, grabbing her hand and pulling her after him as he began towards the pitch.

She felt her stomach flip-flop and she cursed herself for the reaction to his touch. Sirius' face lit up when she began to follow him back to the center of the pitch. This was the first time Ginny had spent time with Sirius alone after the kiss. The thought of their kiss caused Ginny to frown and she felt a chill crawl up and down her back.

"So you waited for us to finish practice so you could play with me?" Ginny asked.

Sirius grinned at her, baring his teeth. Her cheeks flushed a bit and she lowered her eyes. Perhaps it was best if they didn't hang out alone, not yet. Ginny had an odd feeling that nothing good would come from this game of Quidditch they were about to play.

"I was going to play tonight, with or without you. But I did have something to ask you either way," Sirius admitted.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Sirius lifted Ginny's hand to his mouth and his lips brushed her knuckles. "Tell me, Miss Stiles…"

But whatever he was going to say was forgotten as Ginny tilted her head to look at him. A haze had washed over her as she looked at this boy, this boy who was so handsome, so dark, so sinister… For a second Ginny struggled with her conflicted emotions before she stopped herself. She didn't want to think, for a few minutes she didn't want to think.

So she took a step closer to him. She wasn't sure why she did it, why she had taken that step, but it changed their mood completely. They went from joking to still, not uncomfortable but, rather, perhaps a bit too comfortable. Ginny dropped her broom and the sound of it hitting the ground echoed in the corridor. The corner of Sirius' lip curled a bit and Ginny lifted her head closer to his. Her heart pounded harsh in her ribcage and she felt a bit lightheaded…

"Just friends, remember?" Sirius whispered.

His words caused Ginny to jerk back, awakening from the haze she had been under. She blinked, opening her mouth to apologize to him, but he didn't let her. Sirius grabbed her by the face and lowered his mouth to hers. Neither pulled away this time.

---

The walk to the Gryffindor portrait was quiet. Sirius and Ginny both felt a bit awkward and every time they opened their mouth to say something, a strange sound would leave their throats and they'd looked away. Ginny couldn't collect her thoughts; she couldn't make sense of anything. They had kissed, again.

"You told me to forget we kissed last week," Sirius suddenly said.

Ginny looked at him with her eyebrows raised.

"But I didn't want to- I still don't want to, actually, and I wish it wouldn't be awkward."

For a second Ginny couldn't comprehend what he had said but, when she did, she frowned.

"Sirius, it would be too complicated to start anything," she began.

"To start anything?" Sirius looked confused. "Ginny, love, something has already been started."

"I'm not about to get into a relationship," Ginny told him, ignoring his words. "I don't need that, not right now-"

The lights in corridor suddenly lit and Ginny jumped, glancing out the window. The sun had just set completely so dinner had to have just begun.

"It wouldn't have to be different from what we are now," Sirius said.

"I'm not just some-some thing that's there, Sirius," Ginny snapped, stopping her walk and staring at Sirius in surprise.

He looked just as surprised as her.

"I never said that!" Sirius said, his eyebrows furrowing. "We could be friends-"

"And I'd be a nice little snog on the side?"

Ginny held her hands out when he took a step towards her. She couldn't stand that he wanted to touch her as he was saying what he was.

"Stop putting words in my mouth." There was a bit of a growl in Sirius' voice.

Before she could help it, Ginny laughed.

"I'm not putting words in your mouth, Sirius. I enjoy our friendship too much to have it ruined by the dramatics of a romantic relationship. If we just snog on the side it's still going to affect our friendship…"

Sirius was staring at her in disbelief.

"You say this as if you hadn't kissed me only ten minutes ago!" Sirius shouted. "You make it seem like I've been forcing you to kiss me!"

Ginny shook her head.

"No-"

"You're absolutely mad, Ginny," Sirius told her in complete seriousness. "A complete nutter."

His words caused her to stiffen and she took another step away from him. He seemed frustrated as he watched her movements. There was a long drag of silence in which Ginny let her tiredness show. There were so many things to worry over, so many things that needed to be done… and a relationship with Sirius shouldn't be one of them.

"I can't give you what you want," Ginny said.

"You did at the Quidditch pitch," Sirius snapped, his eyes darkening in anger.

Ginny took a deep breath to try to calm herself.

"I'm not going to fight with you over this, Sirius, so leave it alone."

"We're not going to fight? But, Ginny dear, that's what our friendship is based off of!" Sirius growled to her.

When Ginny didn't reply, Sirius simply shook his head before walking away. Her eyes followed him until she could no longer see him and, when he was finally out of sight, she leaned against the wall. Tiredly, she rubbed her face. _No more crying_…

She took a minute to collect herself before she began to the Great Hall for dinner.

---

Finding Lily the next day wasn't difficult. She had never realized how much she had blocked out the auburn haired witch from her mind until she actually began looking for her. Lily passed Ginny many times in the corridors and, by dinner time Monday, Ginny was sure she saw Lily about twenty times throughout the day. Ginny listened to Dorcas talk until she saw Lily get up from the Gryffindor table. Now was her chance to talk to her.

Waving goodbye to Dorcas, Ginny rushed to catch up to Lily, who had already exited the Great Hall. She was just going through the doors when she saw James, Remus, Peter and Sirius. They were just coming down to dinner, though a bit late.

"Hello, Ginny," Remus said, smiling at her.

"Done dinner already?" Peter asked, glancing around her with a small smile. "Can't wait to eat myself, I've been starving since lunch."

Ginny grinned before letting her eyes to drift to Sirius. She hadn't talked to him since the corridor incident the night before. He looked at her and he was smiling, his face light and carefree as normal. It caused Ginny to frown a bit.

"I was actually running to go…" Ginny paused. "I have a ton of homework to finish. You boys enjoy dinner."

She walked out, patting James on the arm as she went by. Quickly she darted up the stairs, hoping to see a sign of Lily. After racing through the halls a bit, Ginny finally managed to catch up with her. Lily was standing in front of a large portrait of two lions. The sound of Ginny running must have caught Lily's attention, though, for she was looking at Ginny just as Ginny caught sight of her.

A look of surprise and caution covered Lily's face as Ginny approached her.

"Hey," Ginny said, panting a bit.

"Hello," Lily slowly responded.

"Is this where the Head dorms are?" Ginny asked.

Lily nodded, glancing at the portrait. The two prowling lions growled at Ginny as they paced the portrait.

"Do they always have two lions?"

"No," Lily answered. "Counts on what houses the Head Boy and Head Girl are in."

Ginny nodded and a stretch of silence followed. Finally, Ginny cleared her throat.

"I need to talk to you. Can we go inside?"

Lily nodded sharply and said the password. The portrait swung open and Lily climbed in with Ginny following her. When the portrait shut behind them, Ginny took some time to look around the room before turning to Lily. Surprisingly the dorm looked like it hadn't been in much use at all.

"I only come in here when I need to study," Lily explained, as though reading Ginny's mind. "It's more of a getaway."

"That's interesting," Ginny murmured.

"Sometimes the Heads spent their whole year in here but since me and Potter don't get along very well…" Lily trailed off.

Ginny nodded in understanding.

"James is actually part of the reason I wanted to talk to you," Ginny said.

Lily looked surprised.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

"No, not really." Ginny took a seat as she tried to collect her thoughts. "I want to make a deal with you."

The caution on Lily's face grew.

"A deal?"

Ginny nodded.

"You want me to be friends with Snape and I… I want you to go on a date with James."

Lily frowned and crossed her arms across her chest.

"You want me to go on a date with Potter? Did he put you up to this?" Lily asked.

"No," Ginny sharply said. "I want you to give him a chance."

A sniff from Lily caused Ginny to smile.

"Weren't you the one who told me 'There's more to people than what they show'?" Ginny used Lily's words against her. "It's not fair for you to say that to me when you hardly give James the time of day."

"It's different," Lily began.

"It's not different," Ginny cut in. "And James has just as many flaws as Snape does. If you want me to give Snape a chance, I want you to give James one."

Lily stared at Ginny.

"You looked ready to murder me the last time you talked to Severus," Lily informed her. "You're willing to talk to him again for James?"

Ginny nodded.

"And you won't give up this time? Even if he makes you angry?" Lily asked, surprised.

"Not if you're nice to James the whole date," Ginny responded.

Lily tilted her head before nodding.

"Okay. I'm sure I can stand him for a couple of hours," she said.

A smile curled onto Ginny's lips even as dread filled her. She had just signed her soul to the devil. There was no way she could get out of talking to Snape if Lily were to go through with her part of the deal. Lily smiled.

"So how have you been?" Lily asked.

----------------

Author's Note: Okay. So it's been about two months now and I apologize so much. This is your Thanksgiving present for anyone who happens to celebrate the holiday. I spent about five hours typing this and editing and there are probably a million mistakes but I'm so tired right now and I want to get this out for you guys to read. Thank you so much for the reviews given to me and I hope you haven't given up on this story, because I haven't. Read, review, and let me know what you think.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Fourteen_

_Found You_

_The room was full of strange things and Ginny couldn't help how fascinated she was by all the objects that filled the space. There were books in the room on all the different types of monsters there were in the world and how to defend yourself against them… as well as some of the monsters themselves! She let her eyes roam the room as she waited by the door she just passed through. As fascinating as the room was, however, she didn't want to enter it anymore then she needed to. After a well-behaved Defense Against the Dark Arts class yesterday the professor had asked her to come to class an hour early the next day if she were able to, though he must of known she had a free period before his class._

_Biting her lip, Ginny took a step further into the room before taking another. The room was perfectly empty of any students and of the professor himself and Ginny felt as if she were intruding because of the silence. Just as Ginny began to take a step backwards, ready to bolt from the room, the door to the professor's office opened and a tall man walked out. He was wringing his hands and seemed a bit nervous about something. But then he took a deep breath, straightened his back, shook out his hands and… noticed her. _

"_Ah, Miss Weasley!" Professor Lupin greeted, walking towards her. "I'm glad you were able to meet me early."_

_Ginny gave him a small smile before sitting in a seat behind the desk closest to her. She set her books on the desk and folded her hands in front of her, wondering what exactly he needed to say to her._

"_Oh!" Professor Lupin's eyebrows furrowed. "Let's go into my office, shall we? It will be a bit more comfortable than out here and all I want to do is talk." _

_With a start, Ginny stood up and followed Professor Lupin to his office. He opened the door for her and she entered, her insides twisting in fear. What did he want to say to her that she had to be comfortable for? Was she failing his class? Oh, her mother would positively wring her neck! Looking to the professor, she saw he was still wearing a smile, though his eyes seemed to hold an emotion Ginny couldn't quite decipher._

_Taking a seat in front of his desk, Ginny followed him with her eyes as he sat down beside her. He waved his hand, almost lazily, and a tray of biscuits and tea floated over towards them. Distracted, Ginny let herself lean forward. Only powerful witches and wizards could do magic without a wand and the only witch and wizard Ginny knew of were Professor McGonagall and the Headmaster._

"_Tea?" _

_When Ginny nodded silently, Professor Lupin poured her a cup and handed it to her. The tray floated towards her and she put some sugar and milk into her tea. Ginny took a sip of it before setting it down on the arm of the chair she sat in. She waited for Professor Lupin to speak but he seemed to be taking his time._

"_How are your studies going, Miss Weasley?" Professor Lupin asked._

"_Just fine," Ginny answered quietly, her eyes on the floor._

"_Are you excited for the Quidditch game coming up?"_

"_Yes, of course," Ginny responded, her eyes flickering to Professor Lupin's face before back to the floor._

_There was a pause in the conversation before Ginny heard Professor Lupin sigh._

"_Are you frightened of me, Miss Weasley?"_

_Ginny looked up in surprise, her eyes wide and her mouth open. She shook her head dumbly for a second, shocked by his question, before she could speak._

"_No! No, I'm not afraid of you! Not at all!"_

"_Then what are you afraid of?" Professor Lupin questioned, leaning forward in his seat and looking at her intently._

"_What-I'm-" Ginny felt her heart pounding in her chest and she took a deep breath to calm herself. "I'm not afraid of anything, Professor."_

_ Professor Lupin cracked a smile and she relaxed without realizing it._

"_Everyone is afraid of something, you must realize that. And I've noticed how you've begun to act in class, as though at any second someone will jump out and attack you. What are you worried over?" This time when Professor Lupin asked her Ginny knew she couldn't lie._

_She grabbed her cup of tea and held it in her hands to try to distract herself._

"_Sirius Black," she finally muttered._

_Professor Lupin went very still, his body rigid and his mouth a thin line on his face. Ginny thought for a second she said something wrong before he leaned back in his seat, the same air of friendliness washing over her as he smiled. But his eyes were cold, something she didn't quite pick up on._

"_Sirius Black would never harm you, Miss Weasley," Professor Lupin told her._

_Ginny frowned and shook her head slowly._

"_His eyes…" Ginny paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "I've seen all the Wanted posters of Sirius Black, Professor Lupin, and his eyes are mad."  
_

"_His eyes are mad?" _

_With shaky hands, Ginny put down her cup of tea. She didn't know her professor very well, for they had only been in school a couple of months, but she had a feeling that if she didn't tell him what she was thinking he would find out anyway. And, despite her fear of the topic they were discussing, she felt comfortable enough with Professor Lupin to continue speaking._

"_They remind me of someone else's eyes… He was mad with power, with want, and Sirius Black is mad with… hate."_

_Professor Lupin stared at Ginny, his breathing uneven, unsure of what to say to the young girl. She was only twelve and she spoke like a twelve year old but he knew what she meant. Finally, after minutes of silence, Professor Lupin found his tongue._

"_Who are you speaking of? Who's the other person?"_

_Ginny went stiff as the face of a handsome boy surfaced in her mind. Her throat began to close up as she remembered the boy's broken promises and sugar coated lies._

You'll be mine, Ginerva.

"_They look a bit alike. I suppose-"_

_She stopped._

"_Keep talking, Ginny. Everything is all right."_

"_I suppose I'm afraid Sirius Black will come after _me_ for him," Ginny admitted, her eyes wet with tears._

_Professor Lupin felt his heart squeeze as he looked at the young girl._

"_Who is he?" Professor Lupin licked his lips. "Are you speaking about Tom Riddle, Miss Weasley?"_

_Ginny stared at her professor in shock._

"_How'd you know?"_

"_Headmaster Dumbledore informed me as soon as I got my position here at Hogwarts," Professor Lupin easily lied. "But I must repeat this to you, for this… this I am almost positive of despite being wrong so many, many times in the past…"_

_Professor Lupin and Ginny connected eyes, neither flinching nor backing down from what he was about to present. Ginny needed to be comforted and, though she wouldn't know it for years, Professor Lupin was the best person at comforting her._

"_Sirius Black would never harm you."_

---

"Prepared, aren't we?"

Ginny looked up at Remus, smiling at his joking tone. The weather was frightfully cold but, despite that, most of the students of Hogwarts were at Hogsmeade for the first trip of the year. After being warned by Amelia about the temperature, Ginny made sure she bundled up in one of the new cloaks Professor Dumbledore had bought her, along with a scarf and gloves.

"I didn't want any of my fingers to fall off," Ginny responded, pinching his arm and causing him to cry out.

He stumbled away, clutching his arm, falling towards Peter. Peter looked up in surprise, touching Remus' shoulder in concern.

"What happened?"

Remus gasped and fell to his knees, staring up the sky with wide eyes.

"The red haired… witch… cursed me," he wheezed out before collapsing fully on the ground.

Ginny howled with laughter in the background, leaning against the brick wall of a store to hold herself up. Peter frowned before snickering and nudging Remus with his foot.

"My, my, Remus, I didn't know you were such a good actor!" Ginny praised, walking towards the fallen boy and squatting down next to him.

Remus lifted his head with a moan before a grin spread across his face.

"I'm more of a Marauder then you think," Remus whispered.

She giggled and gave Remus her hand, pulling him to his feet. Peter waited for Remus to brush off his scrawny cloak of dirt before the trio continued through Hogsmeade.

It was a strange trio, Ginny had to admit. Ginny still felt a bit awkward around Remus and she was beginning to believe that he knew she had something she needed to tell him, for he'd often get a knowing look on his face whenever her mind would drift to the subject of confiding in him. This caused long, uncomfortable stretches of silence in conversation whenever the two were left alone.

And then there was Peter who hadn't done anything to Ginny personally that would cause her to dislike him. But she knew of the traitor he would grow up to be and knew the pain he would cause. That realization would slap her in the face anytime she shared a smile with him or anytime she went to help him with something. He was a boy still, a young boy who had dreams like everyone else. Ginny couldn't see the traitor in him so it made it terribly hard for her to dislike him.

It was a strange trio indeed, put together only because of the absence of their other friends.

Sirius had been forced to stay at the school to complete a detention for fighting with Slytherins, or Snape rather. And, surprisingly to the boys but not so surprisingly to Ginny, Lily had snatched James away, asking him if he'd like to grab a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. It didn't seem to be as hard for Lily to ask James out then Ginny had thought it would be.

Ginny looked at the streets of Hogsmeade and saw a brief flash of green light. Her breath got caught in her throat before she closed her eyes, shaking the memory from her mind. Was it really in these busy streets, where there were laughing students, that Deatheaters had attacked? It had been so long ago but, in a real sense of time, not at all long ago.

"I wonder what James and Evans are doing," Peter said, breaking the silence.

Remus glanced at his friend, a light smile coming to his face.

"It's a bit funny that she grabbed him when she did," he said. "Only last night James had said he was giving up when it came to her… and I had never heard him say that before about her. He had never been ready to give up."

Ginny's eyebrows rose.

"Really?" When both Peter and Remus nodded she grinned. "Perfect timing then, hmm?"

A breeze suddenly came and Ginny fixed her scarf, hiding more of her face behind it. Peter, with his eyes squinted, looked around. Most of the students were entering stores to get away from the chill.

"Where should we head to?" he asked.

---

"Potter, you're the most annoying person-"

"I just asked one question. And call me James, please."

"-on this whole planet. Shouldn't you just be happy I'm here?"

"I'll be happy once you answer my question."

"And if I don't?"

"Then there's no point in either of us being here, is there?"

Lily stared at James, her eyes narrowed as she tried to analyze the boy in front of her. He was staring back at her with a careless look on his face, though his dark eyes were caught up in her own.

"You want to know why I suddenly wanted to spend time with you?" Lily asked.

James smiled and nodded.

"Because I had to discuss with you when we should have the next Prefect meeting-"

Waving his hands to stop her, James leaned forward.

"Now, now, Lily, there's no need to lie to me. You could have just owled me, like you usually do."

Lily rolled her eyes.

"Maybe I just wanted to spend time with you," Lily told him. "A spur of the moment, have to do it, kind of thing."

James' eyebrows rose with surprise but his lips quirked. Lily hid a smile, looking down the table.

"And here I thought you hated me," James said.

Lily shook her head in response.

"I thought you knew me better then that, Potter-"

"James-"

"James."

James' face had never been so bright. The retort, which would have said something about how it didn't mean she_ liked_ him, died on her lips as she stared at him. Lily pursed her lips as Rosmerta placed their drinks on the table in front of them.

"So you like spur of the moment, have to do it, kind of things?" James questioned.

Lily shrugged. James took a deep breath.

"Because what I'm about to do is a spur of the moment, have to do it, kind of thing because I'm afraid this is the only time you'll ever talk to me with a smile and I just _need to do it_ and you said that that's what this was for you, a have to do it-"

"I said maybe it was," Lily cut in, breaking the boy's rant.

She was smirking a bit.

"And you're spur of the moment thing is becoming a bit more of a rehearsed-"

James leaned forward and Lily froze, her eyes widening. Was he going to-

"Prongs!"

For a minute James' face was only an inch away from Lily's. His eyes weren't closed, they were staring into her own, and he looked ready to curse someone into oblivion. Lily blinked, unsure of how to react. James leaned back in his seat and looked for who had called him, his face flushing when he saw Peter pushing his way through the crowded Three Broomsticks. Ginny and Remus looked ready to throttle Peter and both sent James apologetic looks as they made their way over.

Peter sat in the empty chair beside James, giving a huff and rubbing his hands together for warmth. James looked at Lily, his face reddening even more. Lily stared at James, still in a bit of shock. Had he been about to kiss her? Her heart pounded harshly and she looked at Ginny when she reached the table with Remus.

"A Butterbeer would do me well!" Peter said, smiling.

"Sorry to interrupt," Remus said, shooting Peter a look. "We can find our own table if you'd like-"

"No, sit," Lily said, snapping out of her shock.

Ginny was biting her lip, her eyebrows rising when she looked at Lily. Lily nodded with a smile to show that it was fine.

"James?" Ginny called.

James sighed but nodded in agreement, seeming more disappointed then angry.

"Of course, take a seat, Rosmerta will probably be around soon to get your drink orders," James told them.

Ginny and Remus took seats in the empty chairs around the table. No one spoke until Ginny, feeling the growing awkwardness, decided to stop it in its tracks.

"So how do you four Gryffindors feel over the fact that Hufflepuff is beating all the other houses when it comes to House Points?"

---

The castle was getting steadily colder along with the weather outside. Ginny wrapped her arms around her stomach as she and Dorcas walked through the corridors. Classes had just ended for the day and Ginny had managed to get Dorcas to go to the library with her. She had a great amount of Transfiguration homework to complete and Dorcas was good enough at the subject that she was willing to help. Ginny had almost asked James but when she realized she had hardly spent time with Dorcas, the first person to befriend Ginny at Hogwarts, she decided against it.

Giggling over silly things, the two girls had almost made it to the library when they were interrupted by Professor McGonagall rushing up to them. The professor pursed her lips when she saw the Transfiguration book in Ginny's arms but she didn't comment on it.

"Miss Stiles, Miss Meadowes," McGonagall greeted.

"Hello professor," The two girls kindly said back.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to come with me, Miss Meadowes," McGonagall said.

"Oh," Dorcas said, looking to Ginny.

Ginny shrugged lightly with a smile to let Dorcas know it was fine.

"Hurry along, Miss Stiles," Professor McGonagall said as she ushered Dorcas to follow her.

Something seemed to be worrying Professor McGonagall, Ginny noted, as the older witch's gaze lingered on Ginny's face. Dorcas was unaware of this but Ginny knew some of McGonagall's expressions when something was wrong. Ginny frowned and returned the wave of goodbye as Dorcas and McGonagall walked away.

Sighing, Ginny began walking to the library again. Now she'd have to do the homework without the help of anyone. It was going to take her ages to get it done. She briefly wondered what Remus was doing or now she could even ask James…

"Speaking of Merlin," Ginny muttered, raising her arm to catch the attention of the teenage boy.

James caught sight of her, for he was walking down the corridor towards her, and a grin lit his face. But as he got closer Ginny noticed he was wearing his Quidditch uniform. The upcoming game was Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. It wasn't unusual that for the two weeks before the game the teams wore their Quidditch uniforms to get fitted in them. The Gryffindors must have practice. And, as she thought this, she saw some of the Gryffindor team members walking a ways behind James.

"About to go out for practice?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah," James answered, glancing out one of the windows in the corridor. "Looks a bit windy out but it will be good practicing weather."

James suddenly pointed an accusing finger at Ginny, his mouth dropping open.

"You just checked me out, didn't you!"

Ginny blinked before she began to laugh.

"What? I did not!"

"I saw you, your eyes were roaming my body like it was a piece of meat and you were a starving man!" James said, his voice shocked.

"Potter, you're mad," Ginny said, laughing.

Ginny, though she was sure James' body was very well complimented by the Quidditch uniform, had not at all checked James out. She hadn't even been looking at James.

"Or so you think." James winked at her. "But you may be in only a second."

"I may be what?"

"Mad."

Ginny tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh really, why's that?"

James sighed dramatically.

"Well… it's good news, really, for me. But for you-"

"Look who it is!"

"Ginny!"

"Indeed!"

Ginny looked behind James to see Gideon and Fabian strutting up to her. They pushed past James as though he wasn't even there, causing him to roll his eyes and shake his head. Gideon wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders and hugged her to his side, while Fabian messed up her hair.

"We didn't see you at Hogsmeade," Gideon said.

"Yes, what a shame," Fabian added.

"Sorry about that," Ginny apologized, though her smile had grown. "I would have liked to have seen you."

"But she had been with me, conversing with me," James cut in. "Which she had also been doing before we were rudely interrupted."

James' eyes were sparkling despite his serious voice.

"Captain, oh captain, your harsh words cut us deep inside," Fabian said in a singsong voice.

"We'll just leave then," Gideon said with a huff. "But we will be seeing you soon, Ginny!"

"Of course," Ginny replied, unable to contain her joy.

Fabian and Gideon always made something inside of her expand, perhaps simply because they were family (though the boys were unaware of this). She liked seeing them.

"Very good! See you on the pitch Captain Potter." The twins left.

Ginny turned to James.

"What were we discussing?"

"How very mad you'll be at me," James told her.

"Oh, yeah, why is that?" Ginny asked, curious.

She was really wasting what seemed to be plenty of time talking to all these boys. The weight of the Transfiguration book seemed to double in her arms.

"It's all been a pleasant surprise for me-"

James stopped speaking, his eyebrows drawing together as he saw something behind Ginny.

"Padfoot! Hey! Sirius!" James shouted, stepping to the side of Ginny.

Ginny turned around to see Sirius, who was a good ways down the corridor, suddenly stop. The boy had been about to exit the corridor by turning the corner to go into another corridor when he heard James' voice. It took Sirius a second to locate James but, when he did, he jogged over to the pair.

"Where are you off to?" James asked.

Sirius' eyes darted to Ginny's and there was a second where Ginny was sure she couldn't breathe. Then Sirius looked at James and the feeling was gone.

"I forgot my Quidditch uniform in the dorms," Sirius told him.

"Aren't you suppose to keep them in the Quidditch locker room?" James chided playfully.

"Really, now, James," Sirius said in a mocking voice. "Haven't you learnt by now that I don't do as I'm suppose to?"

"Well go on and get it. Be at the pitch soon, though, we can't exactly do strategies if we're missing a Beater."

Sirius nodded and was about to leave when he seemed to remember something.

"I passed by the Prewitt twins and they had said something about sabotaging your locker," Sirius carelessly told James. "Just in case you wanted to know."

Then Sirius ran off in the direction of the Gryffindor tower. James cursed and began to jog away from Ginny.

"I'll tell you later, Ginny!" he called before racing through the crowd of students in the corridor.

Ginny bit back a smile of amusement before she let herself drift to the library. The library seemed darker then the rest of the castle, lit up only by candles and not the setting sun outside. An incredible amount of students seemed to have already packed the library and Ginny fought back a frown as she searched for a table. And here she had thought the library would be empty. She walked past shelves and shelves of books as she made her way deeper into the library, hoping that the further back she went the less students there would be.

Her wish came true as she saw the corner of what appeared to be an empty table against the wall. It was half blocked by a shelf and she turned the corner, ready to sit and begin her homework, when she slammed to a stop. The table wasn't empty.

An almost desperate feeling took over Ginny and she fought the urge to turn around and run away. Severus Snape was sitting unaware at the table, his head bent and his lips muttering words Ginny couldn't hear. Ginny stared at Snape's bent form, trying to decide what to do. This was the first time she had seen him since she spoke to Lily about the deal. He had often been in her thoughts, however, which did not please Ginny in the least bit.

The slamming of the library door caused Ginny to jump and Snape to look up.

His dark eyes seemed to immediately find her and he straightened in his seat. Slowly, reluctantly, Ginny walked towards him, knowing that she couldn't run away now. When she reached his table she found she was unable to speak. Snape stared at her, his face blank, before he grabbed his quill and began working on whatever he had been before he noticed her. Ginny stayed still until she heard his voice.

"Back again, Hufflepuff?"

She studied him before licking her lips to reply. He cut her off, though, before she could open her mouth.

"You have a bit of a lying mouth, you should know," Snape told her as he continued to furiously write. "The profession I plan to choose after I graduate from Hogwarts does not involve murdering people."

Ginny stared at Snape in surprise. Did he just… make a joke? Her instinct to run was overwhelming and she grabbed onto the back of the empty chair in front of her to stop herself. Snape looked up at her, his eyes calculating as he took her in, before he looked back down.

"Been thinking on it much?" Ginny managed to ask, forcing herself to sit down across from him.

Snape didn't respond right away. Instead he closed the book he had been writing in (and Ginny briefly wondered if he knew he was writing in a _book_) before he stared her in the face. He looked worse then she remembered he had the last time they had conversed. Dark bags were under his eyes and his skin was pasty.

"I'm unsure of what game you're trying to drag me in," Snape said. "When I had first thought on it I realized it couldn't be too difficult a game for you're a Hufflepuff and the amount of brain a Hufflepuff uses is small-"

There was something dark behind his words that caused Ginny's eyes to narrow. But his words also caused Ginny's stomach to squeeze- why had he already assumed she was messing with him? She had only just sat down.

"-but then I realized you're not just any Hufflepuff. This game you're playing, or attempting to play, is something more than a stupid bet that Hufflepuffs perhaps place on each other. I had thought perhaps you were going to try to seduce me or lure me into letting you into the Slytherin common room-"

"I'm not playing a game with you, Snape-"

"You're not trying to talk to me out of the goodness of your heart either," Snape hissed.

His long fingers twirled his quill.

"You analyze things too much," Ginny informed him, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"You called me a murderer during our _second_ conversation," Snape snarled to her, causing her back to stiffen. "You made it seem as though you know me. And I suppose you do, though I couldn't quite figure out how you would know me when you had just arrived at Hogwarts."

"Listen-"

"Then I realized it was dear Evans who had filled your head with silly thoughts, dear Evans who is simply trying to save the world one person at a time."

Somehow Snape seemed to have become darker, angrier if possible. When he realized just how much hate lingered in his words he calmed himself, slamming down the quill that had been in his hand onto the table. Ginny didn't jump but instead leaned towards him.

"I suppose you're trying to make a point?" Ginny quietly asked.

Snape smirked.

"It's all assumption, I assure you, but I believe I know exactly what is going on between you and Evans and what she wants you to do. She isn't hard to read, after all. And I'm feeling particularly generous at the moment so I'll give you the chance to leave, to leave this table and never speak or look at me again. If you choose to do this you will save yourself some trouble. But if you don't, if you continue to try to tangle me in the webs of this game you're playing, I'll let you know now that I'll play my own game with you and it will be no fun." Snape bared his teeth to her in a dark smile. "I suggest you leave, Stiles."

Ginny blinked in utmost surprise. Snape had just told her, basically, that he knew what she was up to and that he wouldn't fall for her tricks. But he also invited her to keep talking to him, to keep trying to fix him, as long as she knew that he was going to involve her in a bit of a game himself. She knew that a game with a Slytherin, especially Snape, would be no good.

However she had a deal with Lily.

"I'm rather good at playing games," Ginny responded.

Her stomach twisted and Snape's eyes began to glitter with malice.

---

By the time Ginny got back to the Hufflepuff common room her head was buzzing with confusion. She had managed to finish her Transfiguration homework with the cruel help of Snape. That in itself made her get lost in her thoughts. Snape had helped her with her homework, though he had made all his words biting and all his gestures full of hate. They had stayed at the table together until Snape had finally decided he was done and left.

After that Ginny had briefly wondered on what James had to tell her then her mind filled with thoughts on the situation between herself and Sirius. Sirius was one person she would never understand. Sometimes he'd act as though they had not argued and they would be friendly to each other while other times he wouldn't look at her, would ignore her. It caused her heart pain that she had forgotten she could receive from a boy.

The common room was surprisingly quiet when Ginny walked in. She looked around in bewilderment when she saw that the common room was full, with students just quietly whispering to each other. No one noticed her until she began to make her way over to the staircase. What was going on?

"Ginny! Oh, Ginny," Edgar rushed over to her, grabbing her by the arm. "Dorcas- there's been a-"

Edgar couldn't catch his breath and his skin was deathly pale.

"What? What's happened?" Ginny asked sharply, her eyes widening.

"Dorcas' family's been killed," Edgar whispered. "By You-Know-Who."

Ginny stared at Edgar for a long time before she could focus.

"Where is she?" Ginny questioned.

"In her dorm. I haven't been able to find any of the girls and-"

Ginny didn't bother to continue listening as she ran to the staircase. She opened the dormitory door with a bang and searched the room for Dorcas but she couldn't find her. The bathroom door was shut but the light was on.

"Dorcas," Ginny called as she walked to the bathroom door.

It was locked.

"Dorcas? Open up."

When there was no reply, Ginny pulled out her wand and the clicking of the door unlocking filled the room. Ginny turned the knob and walked in to find Dorcas laying on the floor of the bathroom. Her friend's face was tearstained and she was curled in the fetal position. Dorcas' lips were twisted in a frown. But she was asleep.

Ginny fell to her knees, reaching out and wrapping her arms around Dorcas. Dorcas' eyes opened slowly and she stared at Ginny without saying anything. Her lip was trembling and her breathing was erratic. The silence was horrible but there was nothing to say.

"I'm so sorry," Ginny managed to mutter. "I'm so sorry, I didn't know, I didn't know."

Dorcas just closed her eyes again. Eventually Dorcas fell asleep again and Ginny watched her friend, unable to stop the tears from filling her eyes. She hadn't known that Dorcas' family would be killed but what if she did? If she did, if she knew the exact date, would she have tried to save them? Ginny's body shook a bit as she tried to keep the terrible thoughts from her head. It was a stab of reality, the death of Dorcas' family, and Ginny didn't like the rude awakening.

Amelia was going to be killed one day. And so were half the students at Hogwarts. A war was brewing at that very moment, as Ginny lay with her friend wrapped in her arms in a bathroom. And Ginny knew so many secrets that could change the course of the war.

But she couldn't tell them. She couldn't tell them to anyone. And people were going to pay because she had to keep the secrets. Ginny brushed some Dorcas' hair from her face. It was almost as if Ginny were killing the people…

Ginny's hand stilled as she realized something. There was one person who she could tell her secret. And maybe with his help lives could be saved.

---

It was past curfew but Ginny didn't pay mind to that. She was breathless as she ran down the corridors, taking the familiar route to the Gryffindor tower. There were no students out and all the ghosts seemed to have decided to rest instead of linger in the corridors. Ginny was lucky to see no professors on her way to the Gryffindor tower. Skidding to a stop in front of the portrait of the fat lady, Ginny stared up at her hopelessly.

"I don't know the password," she told the portrait, who stared at her with wide eyes.

"Well, I cannot let you in then, darling," the portrait told her.

"Please," Ginny pleaded but the fat lady just shook her head.

Ginny fell against the wall of the corridor, feeling weak. She had left Dorcas with Marlene and Amelia when the two girls had rushed into the dormitory about an hour later. They didn't ask Ginny questions, only gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. It took Ginny a second to realize they probably thought she was upset because her 'family' had also been killed by Voldemort.

She felt dizzy. Her head was swimming, as was her vision, and she let her knees fall out from under her. The portrait's concerned voice was wordless to her and she put a shaking hand to her forehead. With a gasp, Ginny closed her eyes. Everything was spinning.

"Ginny?"

Whoever called her name managed to break through the madness of her mind. Ginny opened her eyes and lifted her head.

The corridor was still spinning but one thing in it wasn't. Before her was Sirius, his eyebrows drawn together and his eyes worried. Ginny tried to say something, anything, but she couldn't. She just whimpered. Sirius mumbled something before lifting her in his arms.

"Remus…" Ginny whispered. "I need to see Remus."

Sirius shifted her in his arms before giving a humorless laugh.

"He'll be out for the night, love," Sirius responded. "Will I do?"

Ginny nodded and leaned her head against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat through his clothes. Without her realizing, Sirius carried her through the portrait hole and up into his dormitory. The dormitory was empty, for tonight was a full moon and the Marauders were suppose to meet under it. Sirius laid Ginny out on his bed and went to back away, to find her more comfortable clothes to change into, but found he was unable to. Her hand clutched onto his shirt and she was looking at him with unfocused eyes.

"Not yet, don't leave me yet, stay here…"

Sirius nodded sharply, unable to leave this girl who was before him. He didn't ask what was wrong, which Ginny was grateful for, and he didn't say anything to make her uncomfortable. The only thing he could give her was himself and so he did. Wrapping his arms around her shaking body, he held her.

---

It was the bright sun that made Ginny open her eyes. She began to stretch her arms above her head but stopped when she realized her arms were touching another body.

"Sirius?" she whispered his name in confusion.

Sirius was sleeping, his blouse wrinkled and his tie loosened just a bit around his neck. His hair seemed a bit curly almost, falling over his shut eyes. One of his arms was cushioning his head for he had allowed Ginny to have his pillow during the night. The fingers of his free hand were tangled with her own. Ginny's mouth opened but she didn't know what to say.

She had come looking for Remus last night but had found Sirius.

With a shake of her head, Ginny sat up in the bed. Immediately her eyes fell on James, who was pacing the room, his hands caught up in his hair. His eyes must have caught her movement for he looked at her right away, a smile coming to his lips.

"'Morning," James said, walking over to Sirius' bed.

"Hey," Ginny responded.

Ginny used her free hand to rub at her forehead.

"Where's Remus?" she asked when she noticed that he wasn't in the dormitory. Peter wasn't either.

"Hospital wing," James answered. "And Peter's down at breakfast… I heard about what happened to Dorcas Meadowes. She's your friend, isn't she?"

With James' words, the memories of last night rushed back to Ginny's mind. She sighed and nodded.

"And that would explain why you're here, wouldn't it?"

Both Ginny and James glanced at Sirius before she nodded. There was a pause in the conversation.

"What did you need to tell me yesterday, James?" Ginny asked.

At the mention of that, James' face brightened so quickly that Ginny was taken back. He seemed to be literally bubbling over with excitement.

"You won't have to worry about taking me as your date to Slughorn's party," James told Ginny. "Lily's asked me to go with her."

Ginny's jaw dropped and she began to laugh. James was nodding in excitement.

"It's all rather strange but I suppose after the Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks she's, I don't know, become taken with me."

Ginny nodded.

"I suppose so."

Honestly, Ginny had forgotten completely about Slughorn's party and bringing a date to it. But now that she knew James and Lily were going she wouldn't be too frightened of going. The thought of finding a date bite at her mind for a second but then she felt the pressure of someone else's hand in her own and she looked at Sirius.

----------------

Author's Note: So, Happy Holidays! I wanted to expand this chapter, go a bit more into the death of Dorcas' family and the feelings there and such but I wanted to get this out to you. So give a little and take a little, eh? I hope everyone's having a good winter break and I hope this chapter brings many smiles! Next chapter… Halloween : ) Thanks to Genna for pointing out a mistake.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Fifteen_

_Slap of Reality_

"What did you want to speak to Remus about, anyway, love?"

Secrets have the power of driving someone mad. It's a simple fact, whether you are the holder of the secret or the person who is being left out of the secret. For Ginny, keeping her secret from her friends was beginning to take over her life. That much was evident after she had gone to the Gryffindor common room searching for Remus, unable to see straight and unable to clear her clouded mind.

"I can't tell you, Sirius. I'm sorry, really I am-"

Sirius, though, was continually proving to be different then every person Ginny knew. He was quite aware of the fact that he was not going to be told the secret that Ginny was bearing and that one of his best mates was going to be allowed to hear it and he hardly batted an eye. With a simple smirk, he brushed a curl from Ginny's eye and excused her from any guilt she should feel.

"We all have secrets. Remus is good at helping people sort their thoughts," he whispered.

The fire cackled and Ginny leaned into Sirius' touch, her eyes unable to leave his. After the night before, when Sirius cradled her body and unknowingly protected her from her fears, she found she craved feeling his warmth. Sitting in the Gryffindor common room, unaware of everyone else's glances their way, they continued a conversation that Sirius needed to have.

"Thank you," Ginny responded softly.

Sirius nodded and looked down. His hand left her face and fell onto her knee, giving it a squeeze.

"Just… just promise me something?"

Ginny tilted her head but hesitantly nodded.

"Of course."

He looked up at her through his dark hair, gray eyes burning intently, with his lips parted. No words were spoken but Ginny could feel his desire… his desire to protect her and his desire to make sure she was okay.

"Never go into a state like that again. Because as much as I loved sleeping with you, Ginny, I haven't been that scared over someone in a while. I hardly knew how to handle you. "

A small smile curled on Ginny's lips and before she knew what she was doing she leaned over and kissed Sirius' cheek.

"You did wonderfully."

---

When Ginny wrapped her arm around Remus' waist she swore she could feel his ribs. His breathing was a bit weak and his skin a bit pale. Ginny bit her lip as she helped him get out of bed. Apparently his transformation the night before had been a rather harsh one and he was weaker then usual. But when Ginny came to the Hospital Wing seeking his attention and privacy he wouldn't let her back out of it. So they were going to go somewhere private and talk.

Ginny was sure she was going to faint from nerves.

Remus was wheezing a bit by the time they reached the plain wall. Releasing him so that he could lean against another wall, Ginny hurriedly began pacing in front of the wall, wishing for a place where they could speak without being disturbed. With wary eyes, Remus watched from the sidelines.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you back to the Hospital Wing?" she asked as a door appeared on the wall behind her.

Giving a laugh that sounded like a cough, Remus pushed himself off the wall.

"After a walk through the castle like that?" He took a step towards Ginny and she rushed to take a hold of him again. "We're having this talk that you desire to have with me so."

Nodding, Ginny pulled open the door and they slowly entered. Luckily no students were lingering in the corridors at this point of day, for mostly everyone was starting dinner or rushing to finish homework.

In the Room of Requirements there was a large couch where Ginny placed Remus. Snacks were present on a table in front of them and several fires were lit around the room. A window placed on the far side of the room allowed the two to see the setting sun.

"I've never been here before," Remus admitted, wiping a shaky hand across his forehead. "James, Peter and Sirius would love to come here. What is it called again?"

"The Room of Requirements. Here, Remus, eat some of this." Ginny grabbed some bread and handed it to him.

"You sound like my mother," he said, grinning.

"Well, do as you're told dear or you won't be allowed out for a long while," Ginny cooed in a high pitched voice.

Swallowing the bread in two bites, Remus lifted his legs onto the couch and relaxed. He had new scars on his neck, bright red scratches that would take a long while to fade away. Ginny frowned when she saw them but ignored commenting on it.

"So talk of what you want to before you lose your nerve."

Ginny nodded before faltering.

"Remus, I know you'll keep this secret of mine like I have kept yours," Ginny whispered.

Remus' eyebrows perked.

"Of course," he responded.

"And I know you're going to think I'm a complete mad woman but you've got to hear me out!" The desperation in Ginny's voice shook Remus enough that he sat up on the couch.

"Ginny, I've given you no indication that I won't listen to what you have to say. I won't leave this room until you want me to, I swear it."

Remus went to give her a comforting touch on the shoulder but she jumped up. Her nerves were wired and the words of McGonagall and Dumbledore echoed in her head.

"_There is one important thing, Miss Weasley. Do not tell anyone you are from the future. You could destroy everything and risk your own life. Dumbledore is the only person to know."_

And what if Remus didn't want to carry the burden she was about to give him? He already had enough to worry about. Why would he want to have to worry about her and her occasional mental breakdowns? Ginny didn't realize that Remus was calling her name until he tugged her hand, causing her to fall back onto the couch.

"This is more serious then some romantic qualm, isn't it?"

"It's too much for me to handle sometimes," Ginny whispered into the air, her eyes drawn to the fire. "And you're the only person I can tell."

Remus threw his legs off the couch and wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders. He felt her shudder next to him before she put her head on his shoulder. With a caring hand he wiped away the tears building in her eyes before they could fall.

"I understand the overwhelming sense of hopelessness better then anyone, Ginny."

She breathed in deeply.

"And that is why you know you can talk to me about this," Remus continued.

Ginny nodded and closed her eyes as she spoke.

"I know everything. I know everything that's going to happen. A war is brewing and I know who's going to survive it and who's going to die. I know who is good… and who is evil."

With a gasp, she opened her eyes. The immediate relief that came to her was overwhelming. It felt like a pressure on her chest had just disappeared and she let out a soft laugh of surprise.

"You're a… Seer? Is that what you mean?" Remus cautiously asked.

Looking at him, the soft laughter still pouring from her lips, Ginny shook her head. She wiped at her eyes before grabbing a hold of his face.

"Remus. Remus, I've come from the future. I've traveled from the future to here and I have never felt as carefree as I do now."

Remus stared at her, unable to comprehend what she was saying. He shook his head once, releasing his hold on her so he could put his hands on his knees, as though he were bracing himself.

"Can you just… you're completely serious, I can tell from your face. But I need you to just explain this to me quickly. Your family?"

"They're alive," Ginny explained. "They're alive but they're in the future."

"You're serious? You're from the future?" Remus let out a long breath. "Why are you here, Ginny? Is that even your name?"

"Yes, it's my name," she assured. "But I can't… I can't tell you why I'm here."

Remus nodded and stared off into the distance.

"You know what's going to happen in the upcoming months? With the war against Voldemort?"

Ginny gave him a brief nod, her eyes searching his face for a reaction.

"You can save people!" he cried out, looking at her for the first time since she told him her secret.

Freezing as if hit with a jinx, Ginny found it difficult to deny this truth. Finally her voice worked so she could answer him, so she could crush the dreams of this hopeful boy.

"If I do that I can ruin everything. The future is already set and I cannot allow myself to change it… or I could destroy everything for when I need to go back."

"Go back?" Remus looked alarmed, his whole body posture changing. "When?"

Ginny shrugged, confused as to why he was more concerned over this then anything else.

"I'm not sure," she said.

"Oh," Remus paused.

They were silent for a long while and Ginny leaned back into the couch. Someone else knew her secret, she finally had someone to could talk to… somewhat. Her life was a bit easier now.

"You knew I was a werewolf, didn't you? That's why you didn't run and tell the whole student body about my curse, isn't it?" Remus asked quietly.

Ginny reached over and grabbed his hand.

"We know each other in the future?" he questioned, looking at her with seeking eyes.

"Yes, yes we do."

More silence. The sun was completely set now and the room was lit only by the fire. A piece of wood burst and the flames flickered, casting odd shadows on Remus and Ginny's faces.

"The future isn't that bright, is it? That's why you're here."

---

October was nearing to an end. Slughorn's party was coming up and all the lucky students that received invites were rushing to prepare themselves for it, after all he had a habit of inviting famous witches and wizards to his parties. Ginny, after not too much deliberation, asked Sirius to join her for the evening and he agreed with a devilish grin and a dirty joke.

Up until the very day of Slughorn's party, Ginny found herself rotating her time between her friends, Quidditch, obligations and school work. In the morning and in classes she spend as much time as she could with her Hufflepuff friends, allowing their gossip and stories of the past days to wash over her. They were such innocence to her, having only a bit of ties to the future and knowing nothing about her except that she was a new girl with a spunky personality. By midday her free period would come and she'd spend it in the company of one Severus Snape.

He allowed her to, never again giving her a warning of the game they were engaging each other in. They'd switch their meetings from inside to out, depending on the day and the mood. Their conversations were lacking but he was a brilliant helper when it came to homework, as long as she was willing to take the brutality of his words. None of her other friends had a free period during that time and knew not of her hardly-there-but-nonetheless-there bond with Snape.

"You do know why you're here right now," Snape said one day, not bothering to look up from his book. "It's the tricky work of a Gryffindor."

Ginny had glanced up at him in confusion.

"She passed me on to you because she's coming to like Potter," he told her.

Snape's eyes had stopped scrolling across the page of his book and his body had become tense.

"She didn't want to bother with me any longer. I had finally become a burden to her."

The moment of vulnerability that Snape showed Ginny was gone a flash when he had begun reading his book again, seeming as though he had not spoken a word. Ginny's heart had constricted and she had wondered not for the first time what relationship Snape and Lily had. And she had wondered how much truth was behind Snape's words.

But her time with Snape was often pushed to the back of her mind by the time afternoon classes came about. She'd then spend the last hours of the day with the Marauders, doing work and playing games. Her ability to become a part of the group was astounding as she soon felt as though she had spent years with the boys, rather then two months. Remus had not spoken a word of her tale to any of the boys and they had formed a close friendship with their secrets. Sirius paid Ginny a great mind of attention and James seemed ever so grateful towards her, as if he somehow knew she had affected Lily's willingness to spend time with him for the better.

Everything in her life was much more at ease than it had been previously.

But, when the night of Slughorn's party arrived, there seemed to be a shift in the air. Ginny anxiously sat on Lily's bed, unsure of why she felt as though something horrible was going to happen. The two girls had decided to get ready together so that their dates could pick them up at the same time but, as Ginny watched Lily prepare herself for the evening, she felt a bit fearful.

Lily was a beautiful witch who knew nothing of her power with boys, Ginny realized. The young Gryffindor had something with Snape that allowed him to whisper his weakness to Ginny, in hope of a possible reconcilement with Lily. Though Snape never directly asked Ginny to help fix him and Lily she could see in his coal eyes that he desired it much. Then there was Lily with James.

James, who use to be much more of a cocky boy then he was now, had changed his ways to get Lily to notice him. He was enchanted by her careless attitude toward him and would spend the last years of his life making Lily as happy as possible.

Ginny shivered a bit, not liking the thoughts in her head. Lily, who was muttering to herself, finally slammed the hairbrush down and turned towards Ginny.

"I look okay," Lily said.

Knowing that her statement wasn't really a statement but more of an insecure question, Ginny nodded in agreement.

"You look brilliant."

Lily gave her a tiny smile.

"Thank you. Are you ready to go meet the boys?"

With a nod, the two girls set off. Only a select few of the student population was invited to Slughorn's party so, as they were walking through the Gryffindor common room, they got many compliments on their appearance. Though she should have been enjoying the praises from others, the fearful feeling nipped on her stomach and wouldn't go away as much as she tried to make it.

---

"Lily! Ginny!"

They looked down the corridor, towards the call of their names, and saw James hurrying over to them. He looked very handsome in his dress robes but was obviously a bit rushed, with his cheeks flushed and his hair less tame then normal.

"So, my ladies, are you quite ready to enjoy a night of dancing and drinking. We'll cry, we'll laugh, we'll get to see our professors get drunk and act like wild animals-"

"Ready," Ginny cut in with a laugh.

James sent her a wink before turning his charming smile to Lily. His façade of charm faltered a bit as he looked at his date and he let out a soft breath.

"You look great, Lily," James told her, clenching his hands into fists as though he was fighting the urge to grab a hold of Lily.

"Thank you, James," was the response.

Not wanting to cut in on their moment, Ginny looked up and down the corridor for Sirius. The four students had decided to meet up outside the Transfiguration classroom, which was close to the tower where the party was being held. But, to Ginny's surprise, Sirius was nowhere in sight.

"James?" she looked towards the boy, who had just presented Lily with a rose.

They both jumped a bit, obviously forgetting she was there.

"Where's Sirius?"

Her question seemed to take a moment for James to process but, when he did, his face became worried. Handing Lily the rose, James took Ginny to the side, away from Lily's ears.

"There are a bit of unwanted guests at Slughorn's party. Including Sirius' little brother, Regulus, who caused quite a scene when he saw Sirius and I approaching the party."

"Is Sirius okay?" Ginny asked, concerned.

She remembered the last time she had seen Sirius after he had an encounter with Regulus. Never in her life had she seen Sirius so dark… his anger didn't come from a petty fight but from deep inside him. It had been a rage Ginny had never seen someone carry around with them before.

And the fact that James looked worried, thinking back on his best friend's state, caused Ginny to become tense.

"James, where is he?"

"I didn't want to leave you two waiting here so I had to leave him-"

"Where'd he go?" Ginny sharply questioned James again.

"He went into the party. Professor McGonagall had seen the fight starting and separated them, making them go into the party," James told her.

By the time James got to the last word of his sentence, Ginny had lifted the bottom of her dress and rushed towards where the party was to be held. She didn't want Sirius to be alone if he were angry, especially if he were around a crowd of people. The run to the party was a blur, as was her climbing the many stairs to get to the room at the top of the tower.

In front of the closed doors of the party was a list with a quill floating beside it. Ginny grabbed the quill and wrote her name on the list, which enabled the doors to open. A blast of heat and noise hit her and she took a minute to look at the party in front of her. There had to be at least fifty people in the very large room. She could see tables and tables of food and there was a band playing loud music at the far end of the room. Witches and wizards ranged from the age of fifteen to over sixty were filling the space of the room and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Taking a step into the room, Ginny searched for Sirius. With as many witches and wizards as there were, though, she couldn't spot him. The doors shut behind her with a slam and she walked further into the room. Several familiar faces, faces that Ginny had seen from books, caught Ginny's attention but she couldn't place most of them. Surely they were famous people who Slughorn had managed to get to come to his party but Ginny's wishes to figure out they were was outweighed by the feeling that Sirius needed her.

"Miss Stiles!"

Surprised, Ginny turned to see Professor Dumbledore walking towards her. He was dressed in sparkly robes and was grinning widely at the sight of her.

"You look lovely tonight, Miss Stiles," he complimented her.

"Thank you, Professor," she responded, a smile coming to her lips. "Enjoying the party?"

"Yes, yes I am very much," he told her, taking a sip out of a goblet he had. "He's out on the further balcony, Miss Stiles."

Ginny stared at Professor Dumbledore, confused for a moment.

"Who is?"

"Your date, Mr. Black. I assumed naturally you were looking for him since you walked in alone."

Ginny nodded and thanked Dumbledore before rushing through the crowd towards where Sirius was. The balcony doors were closed but with a push they opened. It was extremely chilly outside and Ginny took a second to prepare herself for the cold. She couldn't see Sirius right away but, as she stepped further out onto the balcony, closing the doors behind her, she could see his form leaning on the railing. He was looking out across Hogwarts' dark grounds, unaware of Ginny's presence.

And she took that moment to study him. She loved seeing people when they were unaware that they were being watched. There were no masks and there was no pretending.

Sirius, in all his great beauty, managed to take Ginny's breath away as she studied him. His hair was curlier then normal and this, for some reason, made everything about him look sharper and more dangerous. His black robes made his skin look pale and his gray eyes were unfocused yet haunted. Even from the distance Ginny could feel his anger radiating off of him.

When Ginny took a step towards him, though, he snapped out of his daze. His head turned towards her and his eyes burned through her.

"Ginny!" he cried, straightening himself and walking towards her. "Ginny."

She smiled up at him and allowed him to grab a hold of her arms.

"Hello Sirius."

He looked worried and upset. Despite the fact that this made Ginny's stomach tighten, she was happy that he didn't put on a fake smile around her. In a flash Sirius leaned down and kissed Ginny on the lips, lingering there for a moment. His hot breath warmed her face and she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms around his body.

"I'm sorry I didn't come get you," Sirius muttered, hugging her back.

"James told me what happened," Ginny said in response, listening to Sirius' heartbeat through his chest. "Are you okay?"

The lack of response from Sirius was enough for Ginny. She stepped back and put her hands on Sirius' face. He flinched a bit from the warmth of her fingers on his cold skin.

"Let's get out of here. Let's go down the lake and feed the giant squid."

Sirius stared at her with clouded eyes before shaking his head.

"We just got to the party. You got all dressed up and I refuse to ruin the night for you," he told her, his voice tight.

"If I'm not with you my night will be ruined," Ginny muttered.

They were still standing close and Ginny moved one of her hands from his face to run it through his hair. He closed his eyes.

"And you will not be with me if you have to stay here around your brother," she continued.

He reached up and caught her hand. With his eyes still closed, he brought her fingers to his lips and lightly kissed them. She shivered, unconsciously taking another step closer to Sirius.

"It's going to rain, though, love."

Ginny looked up at the sky and realized that he was right. She could not see one star for clouds covered the night sky.

"I have a plan, dear Sirius."

---

That night, after a bit of persuasion towards James and Lily, Sirius and Ginny spent their time in the Head dorms. They took the covers from the dorm bedrooms and laid them out in the small common room. With the fire alit and only the sound of the rain pouring against the windows, they laid in peace.

"What did he say to you?" she asked.

Sirius shifted uncomfortably next to her but spoke nonetheless.

"He spoke about James and Remus and Peter…" His voice trailed off and Ginny laid her head on his shoulder.

He wrapped an arm around her before kissing the top of her head.

"And he spoke about you."

Ginny froze before looking up at Sirius.

"What does that matter?" Ginny questioned.

Sirius sighed before sitting up, releasing Ginny from his hold.

"That means my parents know about you. That means that you are obviously associated with me and James and Remus and Peter. That means, Ginny," Sirius turned his head and looked at her. "that you are going to have enemies to watch out for when you're outside the walls of Hogwarts."

A small amount of irony hit Ginny as Sirius said this. How many times did Harry worry about his friends and their safety because of their association with him? Ginny sat up next to Sirius and allowed him the comfort of her touch.

"I'm okay with that."

Sirius looked troubled by her response.

"There's a war out there, Ginny. This isn't some game. You could get hurt from being known as a friend of the son of two powerful Aurors, the friend of the Black's rebel son, the friend of a werewolf-"

"Stop it," Ginny ordered sharply, not allowing Sirius to swim in his fears. "I will not get hurt. You don't have to worry over me."

"And what about next year when I'm not here at Hogwarts? When you're here all by yourself and anything could happen-"

She kissed him to make him shut up. She kissed him because she didn't know how to respond to his current worries about the future. How did she know if she was going to be at Hogwarts or not next year?

She kissed Sirius to make him shut up and to quiet her own insecurities. But, most of all, she kissed Sirius because she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to feel his warmth and she wanted him as her own.

The whispers of the future, that Sirius would eventually die by falling through a veil, didn't plague Ginny that night as she slept.

---

Halloween came and went. Practices for Quidditch were beginning to overrun Ginny's life, as they were for Sirius and James also. The first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, was going to occur in only a week. This caused her to be more in the company of herself then anyone else. Remus was one of the few faces she saw on her spare time. But he was often thinking, lost in his own world.

"I have an idea," Remus said, speaking for the first time in over half an hour.

Ginny looked up from her work, curious.

"What's that?"

He leaned close to her, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

"Write down the battles we won."

There was a long silence in which Ginny stared at Remus, unsure of what he meant. When she spoke, it was with slight laughter in her voice.

"What do you mean-"

"The upcoming battles. Write down any you remember the Order of the Phoenix winning," Remus told her.

Ginny's jaw dropped and she shook her head.

"That's _cheating_, Remus. I can't let anyone know the future!"

Remus leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms as he thought. Ginny continued to stare at him, waiting for him to speak again.

"Maybe you're meant to, though," he muttered. "Maybe you're meant to tell us what battles we win, so that we do win them."

"McGonagall had told me not to tell anybody about the future-"

"But you told me. And I knew that in the future, I must have. You said you've remembered times that didn't make sense to you then that do now. You remembered times of me saying how I knew you were from the future!" Remus hissed, not angry but trying to make her understand what he meant.

"Remus, it's too dangerous. I would love to but there is no way for me to remember every battle the Order won," Ginny informed him sorrowfully.

"But you remember some, yes?" Remus responded, his eyes lighting up.

"The major ones," Ginny slowly said.

"That's all we need to know," he said.

Before Ginny could back out of what Remus wanted, though, she felt someone watching her. Turning her head, Ginny's eyes widened in surprise when she saw who was standing behind her.

"Snape?"

"Stiles," he greeted back.

His face was blank from emotion but his lips twitched when he saw who was at the table with her. Ginny froze. Did he hear her and Remus speaking? Remus never should have brought this up in the library, despite the fact that they were far from other students.

"I need to speak to you," Snape continued, speaking to Ginny but his eyes on Remus.

"Right now?" Ginny asked, confused.

"Obviously," Snape spat.

Ginny looked at Remus, her mouth parted to make up some excuse. What was she suppose to say to Snape wanting to talk to her? None of her friends knew she associated with the Slytherin boy and they would all disprove of it. But, deep down, Ginny had a feeling that Snape purposely did what he did. He had meant to come take her away from Remus.

"Ginny?" Remus whispered, his voice cautious.

"It's alright. I'll see you later tonight, Remus."

Grabbing her stuff, Ginny sent Remus a tightlipped smile and walked after Snape, who led her out of the library. They walked through many corridors in silence with Snape in the lead. Shifting her books impatiently, Ginny finally rolled her eyes and stopped walking.

"What do you want, Snape?" Ginny asked loudly. "What was the point of you grabbing me like that? I was talking to Remus-"

"Lupin is of no importance to me," Snape responded.

He opened a random door next to him, which led to an empty room, and entered. Ginny warily followed him.

"What do you need to talk to me about?"

Snape was lurking in the darkness of the room, still and quiet. Ginny felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end when she saw this. This was the first time he had ever met up with her and there was something obviously wrong. He wasn't one of the Marauders, though. They weren't friends. Snape was a dangerous Slytherin who could very easily harm Ginny.

She couldn't help him.

"They're together."

Ginny didn't move when he said from his spot. His words echoed in her ears. He was speaking of Lily and James.

"I'm not sure-"

Her words sparked a response from Snape and he hissed. A vase that had been sitting on the teacher's table shattered and Ginny jumped.

"Severus!" she whispered his first name unknowingly, trying to calm him.

"They're together and I'm… I'm just a burden to her."

Snape turned and looked at Ginny. Either he had moved closer to her or she had moved closer to him. She wasn't sure and the lack of space between them caused her breathing to go rough. His face was contorted and Ginny took a step back.

"You're no burden to Lily."

"You're a liar," Snape cried.

The force of his hand caused her to fall to her hands and knees. It wasn't till a moment later, when the shock had disappeared, that the stinging came. Her cheek felt as though it had just been set on fire. She was gasping, trying to breath, unsure of how to react. Snape just… he just slapped her. The hit was harsh and he must have been wearing a ring for her lip was cut. Blood ran down her chin.

"Snape," she gasped, looking up.

He stood above her, his figure dark and looming. When she said his name he crouched down. She fought the urge to flinch away.

"Don't ever touch me like that again," Ginny warned.

Her fear of Snape, though, outweighed her threat and he could easily hear that in her voice.

"Don't lie to me again, then, Stiles," he responded softly.

Reaching up he used his thumb to smear the blood on her chin. There was a soft smile on his face and Ginny wasn't quite sure why she couldn't get up and run away.

Or what was stopping her from blasting this boy into oblivion.

----------------

Author's Note: It's almost been a year. I am horrible and I'm sorry for those of you who I forced to wait. This chapter isn't that good but I'm just getting back into writing so… enjoy.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her. 

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Sixteen_

_Come What May_

It was going to be a cold day. Ginny could tell by the frost that covered her dormitory windows. Slipping her feet into a pair of boots, Ginny made sure everything was zipped up and that, other then her face, there was no skin showing. Crookshanks purred loudly from her bed, watching his master through lazy eyes.

"I'll be back later," Ginny told her kitten. "The Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin is today."

Crookshanks didn't blink as he stared at Ginny.

"I've got to cheer on my boys," she continued, patting down her frizzy hair with her hands. "And, of course, my real house… Gryffindor."

The last part she said in a whisper to Crookshanks, though she was alone in her dormitory. Cracking a grin at her words, Ginny jumped when the door to her dormitory crashed open. Amelia came rushing in, running to her bed and grabbing an extra pair of mittens that had been laying on it. She then darted to Marlene's trunk and pulled it open.

"It is freezing out, Ginny," Amelia told her. "The weather is horrid."

"I'm not surprised," Ginny laughingly said back. "Do you think I need anymore clothes then what I have on already?"

Amelia took that chance to look Ginny up and down; her eyes squinted as she analyzed her friend.

"You should be fine. If not you have those Gryffindor boys to warm you up."

Ginny gasped before giggling.

"I thought it was only Marlene and Dorcas' job to make fun of my friendship with them?"

"I thought I'd give it a shot," Amelia said teasingly. "Come on, the stands were filling up before our roommates made me come back to get them some more clothes."

And, indeed, Amelia did have a handful of clothes in her arms. Taking some of the clothes from Amelia, Ginny followed her roommate out of the dormitory. As they walked through the common room, passing some fourth years who were still lingering in the warmth, Amelia turned to Ginny with a strange expression on her face.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"It's only November," Amelia responded.

Amelia's words caused Ginny's eyebrows to furrow.

"And?"

The corridors were chilly and the girls' boots echoed loudly in them. Ginny attempted to take a glance out of one of the windows to see to the Quidditch pitch, to see how many students had already crowded it, but the frost denied her the privilege.

"You'll see once we step outside I suppose."

It took them a good amount of time to finally reach the outside. But when they pushed open the giant front doors a blast of wind so cold hit them that they stopped their walk. Ginny looked up at the sky, surprised by the harshness of the weather, and saw gray clouds. Not one ounce of sunlight peaked through. With such brutal winds and such frosty air it would be a hard game for the two competing Quidditch teams.

The girls began towards the Quidditch pitch and could see their fellow students struggling to get there also. Ginny looked at Amelia, whose eyes were almost shut to keep them from being hit by the wind.

"It's only November!" Ginny repeated Amelia's words back to her.

"Do you think this is a sign?" Amelia questioned, taking a second to glance at Ginny. "I heard that, during wars, the weather changes…"

Ginny fought the urge to stop in surprise. She had read of weather changes by wars before but had never actually seen it occur.

"It's suppose to get colder when wars between wizards are brewing." The Hufflepuff was muttering to herself but Ginny could hear her words clearly. "Do you think that means Voldemort is getting stronger?"

They were nearing the Quidditch pitch. Ginny bit her lip softly before stopping. There was still a slight cut on her lip from when Snape had hit her and it gave her a sharp pain whenever her teeth touched it.

"I think he is," Ginny said truthfully. "Dorcas' family isn't the only family killed by Voldemort. A lot of students have lost loved ones to that monster."

Amelia nodded before changing the topic to something simple, as though they hadn't just been talking about the Dark Lord and death.

"So are you sitting in the stands with the Gryffindors?"

Already assuming Ginny's answer, Amelia held out her already packed arms to take the clothes Ginny had been helping her carry.

"Yes," Ginny responded, giving her roommate the clothes. "I'll see you after."

It was there they split ways.

---

By the time Ginny reached the Gryffindor stands the Quidditch players were already out on the field. James was shaking hands with the Slytherin captain and, if Ginny tried hard enough, she could make out Sirius, Fabian and Gideon.

"Ginny!" The cry of her name caused Ginny to look away from the field and to the crowded stands.

Remus and Peter were waving her over, a small space in between them where she was probably meant to fit. With a smile, Ginny pushed her way through the other Gryffindors that crowded the stands and squeezed her way in between the two Marauders. They both greeted her before turning their attention back to the game that had just begun with a loud, shrill whistle.

"It's so bloody cold out," Ginny informed them, leaning towards Remus with hopes of catching some of his warmth.

"You're r-right about-about that!" Peter stuttered, running his hands up and down his arms to try to create some heat. "Even the heat charms aren't working!"

"He cast about five on himself," Remus told Ginny before sending Peter an almost affectionate smile. "Poor lad."

Ginny grinned before leaning forward to try to watch the game. The wind seemed to have more control over the players then the players did, throwing them around as if they were rag dolls. The crowd hissed as one of the players in red and gold narrowly missed hitting one of the stands.

"It must be horrible out there."

"Yes, well, you have to play in that in a couple of weeks yourself," Remus reminded her quietly.

"I know," she answered.

"And the weather is only going to get worse," muttered Remus, his eyes intently following his friends movements despite his conversation with Ginny.

She didn't respond for the crowd roared with happiness as Gryffindor scored a point. Peter attempted to jump up and down in joy but the many layers of clothes he had on prohibited him from doing so.

"Ginny-"

"Not now, Remus," she cut him off promptly, already knowing what he was going to bring up.

"There is a war going on-" he continued despite her warning.

"Not _now_, Remus!" Ginny snapped, turning to look at the boy.

Remus leaned close to Ginny's face and she rolled her eyes as he spoke.

"Why would you have told me if not to have my help, to receive my advice?" Remus asked her.

"Are you really bringing this up in the middle of the packed Gryffindor stands during a Quidditch match?" she hissed.

It was then that she felt as though someone were watching her and she turned her head slightly, not surprised to see Peter trying to listen in on their conversation. Sneaky rat. She felt her body stiffen and she turned back to Remus.

"You have to stop bringing this up in public," Ginny whispered.

Remus opened his mouth to speak but it was then that the stands filled with gasps and shouts. Ginny looked towards the Quidditch field quickly, expecting to see one of the boys falling through the sky. Instead it seemed that Slytherin had scored a point. As the crowd settled down Remus took that as his cue to continue the conversation.

"Why? So Snape won't have the chance to listen in then take you away?"

The surprise must have shown on Ginny's face for Remus blinked and looked away from her, turning his attention back to the game. Sometimes Ginny forgot that Remus was a true Marauder, that he had qualities similar to those of his best mates. She forgot that Remus, despite trying to hide it, disliked Snape and that he was just as protective over Ginny as Sirius and James were. Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to think of what to say.

"We must discuss this, Ginny," Remus told her, this time his tone light. "We will meet up in the Room of Requirements and we are going to discuss this."

Ginny stayed silent as Gryffindor scored another point. The crowd roared with pride.

"You wouldn't have told me if you didn't want me to help you with this."

---

Gryffindor won the Quidditch match that night, though it had been a long and intense game. Slytherin had only been ten points behind Gryffindor before the Snitch was caught, which gave Ginny and her fellow Hufflepuff Quidditch players fear over the future games between both houses. The game coming up for Hufflepuff, though, was against Ravenclaw, which would allow the school and rival teams to see Hufflepuffs' skill. Those thoughts floated around Ginny's head briefly as she sat in the Gryffindor common room that night.

Of course, like there would be in twenty years if Gryffindor were to win a game, a huge party was occurring in the common room. Lily, who didn't seem to approve but nonetheless allowed the party to continue, was sitting with some of her girl friends by the bookshelves on the far end of the room. Her eyes, though, strayed towards Ginny and the Marauders on more then one occasion and it didn't take Ginny long to realize why.

"She likes him," she muttered as she wrapped her fingers around Sirius' free hand.

He sent her a smile, though he hadn't heard what she had said, and turned his attention from the loud party to her.

"What are you talking to yourself about?" Sirius asked jokingly, pulling Ginny closer to him.

"Lily really likes James," Ginny repeated, grinning. "It's almost funny to watch. It's so obvious."

Sirius nodded, looking over at Lily. He must have caught her staring for the redhead looked down quickly.

"Why isn't James talking to her?" questioned Ginny, taking that time to see James loudly boasting with Fabian and Gideon about the game to some of the younger students.

Putting on a serious expression, Sirius rubbed his chin with his hand.

"Well, that is an excellent question," he responded.

Ginny began laughing.

"Something Mr. Lupin over there would be great at answering. But, since you asked me, I'd have to say," And here, despite Sirius' joking tone, he became quite sincere. "After liking her for so long and after everything she put him through he's ready for her to prove herself to him. He's waiting for her to come to him."

Ginny understood, a smile still lingering on her lips, and pulled away from Sirius.

"And why aren't you over there recounting the Quidditch match with James, eh?"

The handsome boy grinned at her.

"I'd much rather be spending my time with you, love. You are something quite entertaining, after all," he responded, an almost seductive tone in his voice.

Laughing, Ginny stood from the couch. With teasing fingers, she touched Sirius' stubbly face before wrapping her hand around the back of his neck.

"Ah, there must be a better reason then that, Mr. Black," Ginny purred.

In an instant he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards him. She fell onto his lap with a squeak and found that their faces were now rather close.

"Well, I'd love to snog you right about now," he whispered to her. "Is that a better reason?"

"Get a room."

Ginny and Sirius looked over at the person who had spoken. With a bark of laughter, Sirius showed his amusement to see that it was Remus who spoke. Remus was writing on some parchment and didn't bother to look up at them.

"Shouldn't you be happy that one of your best mates has such a lovely thing to kiss?" Sirius asked.

It was then that Remus looked up at the pair. Ginny felt her back straighten a bit from the look he was giving her but he then turned softer eyes to Sirius.

"I suppose."

Sirius either ignored Remus' shielded look to Ginny or didn't notice it for he didn't question it. Giving Ginny a quick kiss on the lips, Sirius slid her off his lap and rose from his seat.

"'Suppose Prongs might need some help with telling the story," he told her.

He left Ginny on the couch where her thoughts were now filled with Remus and what he wanted her to do. Wrapping her arms around herself, Ginny decided it was time to go back to the Hufflepuff common room, though she knew Sirius wished for her to spend the night with him in his dormitory. Getting up, she made her way over to Sirius, Gideon, Fabian and James.

"Well boys, I'm going to call it a night," she told them.

Sirius looked up at her in surprise.

"Dear Ginny! You must stay a bit longer," Fabian ordered. "We've hardly seen you as of late-"

"And your presence is missed in our life," Gideon completed Fabian's sentence with a wink.

James was laughing at the twin boys and Ginny weakly fought the urge to join him.

"I'll spend an afternoon with you two soon enough," Ginny promised. "But I've got a Quidditch match to get ready for and I won't have too much time."

"That's right! Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw," Gideon said.

"I do hope you win. If not you'll lose your privilege of being our friend," Fabian told her.

This time Ginny couldn't help laughing.

"Oh really? Well I'll try my hardest not to lose."

Fabian and Gideon smiled. As often happened when she was with her twin uncles she felt as though she were sharing a conversation with her brothers. She clenched her fists at the thought but kept her appearance light.

"Good night, Ginny," James said, brushing a hand over his tired face.

"Yes, 'night," Fabian and Gideon said simultaneously.

Glancing at Sirius, they shared a smile before he stood.

"I'll walk you halfway?"

Ginny nodded in agreement, waved goodbye to the remaining boys, and the pair walked out of the common room. Before she stepped out of the portrait hole though she looked backwards for a second.

Lily, finally summoning her Gryffindor courage, was making her way over to James.

---

For the next three weeks Quidditch practices were intense. Ginny found herself rushing to do homework in the morning before classes and had hardly anytime to see anyone outside of her Quidditch team. As much as it upset her to not see the Marauders it also gave her a reason to not be alone with Remus. She just couldn't bring herself to see his idea as a good one. Telling Remus her secret was meant to relieve her of her stress and pain, not to try to fix the future.

Dumbledore and McGonagall made it clear that that wasn't allowed to happen and she was already breaking the rules by letting Remus know.

And her lack of time also gave her an escape from Snape, who was another boy who often lingered in her thoughts.

"Ginny?" Dempster, her fellow Chaser, touched her shoulder. "Ready for your first Quidditch game at Hogwarts?"

Shaking her head to rid her thoughts of Remus, Ginny sent him a look of reassurance. With her broom clenched in one hand and her teammates surrounding her, Ginny felt sure that she was ready for the Quidditch match that was about to occur. A chill ran up and down her back. As they waited to go out onto the Quidditch field, they could hear the roar of the wind. Just as predicted, the weather was only getting worse as time went on.

"We're all ready for this," Edgar said, giving his team a tightlipped smile. "Don't let the wind catch your broom. We saw that happen many times in the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game and the wind is more brutal then before. Ravenclaw is a good team but they lost valuable players this year so-"

"We've already had the pep talk," Meghan told Edgar. "It's okay. We'll do fine."

"Just keep an eye out for the Snitch but make sure Hufflepuff is in the lead before you catch it, Arnold-"

"He knows, Edgar," Amelia told her brother.

Dai turned to the small Seeker and gave him a pat on the back.

It was then that the doors opened. The stands were filled with multicolored flags and the Hufflepuffs screamed with approval when their team stepped onto the field. Across the field the Ravenclaws were walking towards them. Ginny felt the overwhelming feeling of happiness fill her. This was something she knew and loved.

"We all know the rules," shouted the referee, a man that Ginny hadn't seen before. "Play fair-"

The referee's words were blown away with the wind and Ginny didn't try too hard to hear them. She was looking up at the dark sky, noticing how fast the clouds traveled in the sky. Tugging her eyes away from the sight, she searched the Gryffindor stands to try to spot the boys. But the people in the stands were mostly blurs to her.

"Ready Ginny?" Dai asked and she blinked, noting that everyone was beginning to straddle their brooms.

Throwing her leg over her broom, Ginny prepared herself. With the blow of the whistle everyone was in the air, as were all the balls. A bludger screeched past her as she rushed towards the Quaffle. The bitter air stung her face but she didn't pay mind to it as her fingertips managed to push the Quaffle far enough in the direction of Dai, her fellow Chaser, that he could grab it instead of the Ravenclaw Chaser.

There was a roar in the crowd as Dai, Dempster and Ginny flew towards the goal posts. Not far behind the three Chasers were Ravenclaws' teammates, racing to try to stop the first goal of the game. But Dai, Dempster and Ginny had practiced enough together that the attempted interventions of the Ravenclaws were hardly noticed as they passed the Quaffle between the three of them. Finally close enough to the hoops to score, Dempster passed Ginny the Quaffle and with a simple throw the red haired witch scored the first point of the game.

Distant cries of her name from the Gryffindor stands filled Ginny's heart with pride but she didn't let it distract her for more then a second. Ravenclaw was already halfway down the field with the Quaffle and Edgar and Amelia's Bludgers weren't stopping them from their race to the goal posts. As Ginny flew down the field she saw that Ravenclaw scored and Dai had grabbed the Quaffle back. Ravenclaw was a good team and this was going to be a long game.

"Here we go," Ginny muttered as Dai passed the Quaffle to her.

It was an hour and a half later that Ginny realized she couldn't feel her fingers. Ravenclaw was winning by thirty points and the Snitch had yet to be found. The game was an intense one, though, that required every player's attention. So far Edgar and Amelia had struck out one of the Ravenclaw Chasers, causing Ravenclaw to have to bring in a reserve. This helped Hufflepuff to keep the Quaffle out of Ravenclaw hands.

But, just as Edgar had said, the wind was strong enough to push the players off their brooms. Several times Ginny caught herself and other players struggling to not fall to the ground below. It also caused the Quaffle and Bludgers to fly into the wrong directions. Accidentally Edgar had hit a Bludger into Dai, who was only a second year and still a small boy. Gritting his teeth, Dai had continued to play but Ginny could see that he was in pain.

Tossing the Quaffle to said boy, Ginny watched him quickly toss it to Dempster. Dempster grabbed it and did a fancy flip in the air before using the butt of his broom to hit the Quaffle through one of the hoops. The Keeper of the Ravenclaws cursed when he just managed to miss grabbing the Quaffle.

"Look!" Dai shouted, pointing up at the sky.

Ginny allowed a moment distraction to look up. Arnold and the Ravenclaw Seeker were racing through the air, trying to capture a small gold ball.

"Let's score one more, boys, before Arnold grabs that!" Ginny said, sounding more confident in Arnold's skills then she was.

Dai and Dempster nodded before all three raced after the Ravenclaw Chasers. Ginny was neck to neck with the Chaser who had the Quaffle and she reached out, attempting to knock it out of the Chaser's arm, where it was loosely being held. With a light push the Quaffle fell from the Chaser's grip and down to Dai below them.

And, once again, the ball was with the Hufflepuffs. They raced down the other end of the field but were, not for the first time, meeting high resistance from the Ravenclaws. As Dai and Dempster passed it back and forth Ginny kept an eye out for any Bludgers. It was just as Arnold and the Ravenclaw Seeker sped by in front of the Chasers, their arms reached out for the golden ball, that Ginny saw it. A Bludger was speeding towards Dai and he didn't notice.

Ginny shouted and did what her instinct told her to do. With a burst of speed she rammed into Dai, pushing the second year who surely wouldn't be able to handle another hit from a Bludger out of the way. He cried out in surprise and fell into Dempster, the wind causing him to have trouble controlling his broom.

The Bludger hit her hard in the shoulder and she lost the grip she had on her broom for a moment. Her vision spun as she reared backwards, her arms flailing. But she kept her legs locked around her broom and just as suddenly she reared backwards she slammed forward, knocking her chin on her broom and reopening the wound on her lip that Snape had given her.

Edgar, instead of rushing to congratulate Arnold on his catch, had flown to Ginny and grabbed a hold of her to keep her from falling. Cheers and shouts filled her ears for a moment, so loud that she closed her eyes and leaned her head on Edgar's chest. Then, suddenly, all the sound had gone. It was completely quiet. The pain in her shoulder, though, was still flaring and she could feel the warm drip of blood down her chin.

"_You'll be mine, Ginerva." _

Opening her eyes, Ginny didn't expect Edgar to be in front of her. Where was he? Ginny pushed away from Edgar roughly, not caring that they were still in the air and that her vision was tilting back and forth because that was his voice, it was _his_ voice-

"_You're already mine and everything you touch will be destroyed. Everyone you love I will kill."_

Edgar kept a tight grip on Ginny as her eyes rolled back and her body went limp.

"_Ginny!"_

_Gracefully, he fell through the veil and disappeared._

"_You're a strong girl, Miss Weasley. You're going to be tested; everything you know is going to be tested soon… And it's okay that you trust in me about certain things."_

_Ginny needed to be comforted and, though she wouldn't know it for years, Professor Lupin was the best person at comforting her._

"_You've escaped my grasp before, Ginerva, but down here in this chamber… there is no prince charming to rescue you."_

_The chamber floors were damp and her body motionless. She couldn't move._

"_How is it possible? She had disappeared… We had a fight and she was gone. Moony, I searched for her for ages."_

_Harry had tried to grab him, had thrown himself towards the veil to try to rescue him, but Remus wouldn't let him. Sirius was gone._

Ginny opened her eyes and winced in pain. Her shoulder had to be broken. But that was a thought she hardly paid attention to. All she saw in front of her was Edgar, who was leaning over her along with the referee.

"She'll have to go to the Hospital Wing," the referee said, tapping his wand lightly on her already swollen shoulder.

She hissed in pain and her eyes darted around. The Hufflepuff team was surrounding her, Dai worriedly clinging to Meghan for comfort, as she lay on the Quidditch pitch. Had it really only been a couple of minutes?

"Ginny? Ginny, are you okay?" Dai asked.

Ginny couldn't respond. Her shoulder would be okay and she should tell the young boy that. But was she okay?

_He fell through the veil._

"To the Hospital Wing we go then," Edgar said, squeezing Ginny's good hand.

---

The Hufflepuff Quidditch team stayed with Ginny for as long as Madam Pomfrey would allow them. Then Marlene and Dorcas snuck in, bringing snacks that Dorcas had kept hidden under her bed. They congratulated her on the win and her bravery for pushing Dai out of the way.

"You broke your shoulder then?" Marlene asked, a sympathetic expression on her face.

Ginny nodded.

"You'll be the talk for ages," Dorcas told her. "We haven't had an injury like that happen to a Hufflepuff Quidditch player in a while."

"That's what Edgar was telling me," Ginny responded softly. "He was quite proud."

"As he should be," Dorcas said. "You basically saved that boy's life. He would have been squashed from such a hit!"

Marlene laughed with Dorcas but Ginny found she couldn't. Dorcas noticed this and used her hand to brush some curls from Ginny's face, a motherly action that made Ginny's heart ache a bit for home.

"You're not okay."

They stared at each other before Ginny looked away.

"She just broke her shoulder, Dorcas, leave her be," Marlene said, sniffing a bit.

"It's not that, though," Dorcas muttered.

"Girls! Girls, really now, I thought I gave you twenty minutes before you had to leave?" Madam Pomfrey scolded, bustling out of her office and towards the three Hufflepuffs.

"We're just worried over our friend," Marlene said.

"Worry in your dorm room and let her rest," Madam Pomfrey snapped.

Ginny watched as Dorcas and Marlene got up, sending Madam Pomfrey glares and gathering their things. They left the treats by Ginny's bed and both patted Ginny's leg before they left.

Madam Pomfrey muttered about uncaring children as she checked over Ginny. After fixing Ginny's shoulder, unsurprisingly, she ordered that the girl stay overnight in the Hospital Wing. She would be free to go in the morning. That would give Ginny a night to think over what she was to do.

Ginny leaned back in her bed and closed her eyes tightly. What _was _she to do? There were so many things in her life that she had the power to fix and that she wanted to fix and that couldn't be fixed. She wasn't allowed to change the future, that was true. But Remus didn't want her to change the future… he wanted her to let him know of the future battles. Maybe she was meant to tell him of the winning battles.

But what of the lost battles?

Then there was Snape. Reaching up, Ginny tenderly touched her bruised lip. She hadn't spoken to him since he hit her. And, despite his harsh actions, she had to fight back the temptation to meet up with him. Despite him hitting her, despite him causing her to bleed, she wanted to try to save him still. Ginny wanted to fix him. He was just a boy who, whether he admitted it or not, loved a girl.

But what did she know of loving? Every boy she loved never admitted they loved her back. She could believe they loved her back but, if so, would Harry have let her go on this mission? Did he even know she was gone? And here she was, in the past, kissing Sirius Black and caring for him. What did she feel for Sirius anyway? What were they?

If the Marauders came to visit Ginny that night she didn't know. The sleep potion Madam Pomfrey gave her was strong enough to keep her asleep through the entire night, despite troubled thoughts and nightmares.

---

"There's my brave little Hufflepuff!"

Ginny allowed James to hug her and kiss the side of her head in welcome. He had an almost brotherly expression on his face as he looked her over.

"How's your shoulder?"

"Back to normal, of course," she answered. "Madam Pomfrey is a brilliant matron after all."

James nodded in agreement and wrapped an arm around Ginny's shoulders.

"I'm going to be your designated babysitter for the next hour," he informed her. "Remus is off tutoring some first years or something and Sirius has magically disappeared."

Ginny relaxed in relief and let James take her dirty Quidditch outfit from her as they walked down the corridor.

"Now, dear Ginny, are you sure you're meant to be in Hufflepuff?"

She looked at him with her eyebrows raised.

"What's that suppose to mean, Potter?"

"I just wish I could have been there when you were getting sorted. The Sorting Hat must have been like 'Rock, paper, scissors, shoot! Okay, I guess you'll be in Hufflepuff instead of Gryffindor." James used a squeaky voice to depict the Sorting Hat and Ginny couldn't stop laughing. "What you did was extremely brave and not at all like a Hufflepuff."

"Excuse me," Ginny said, faking anger. "I was loyal, not brave."

"You were brave," James said, his voice becoming a bit serious. "That might have been a bit of loyalty for your teammates showing but I have a feeling you would have done that for anyone."

They stopped talking for a moment and James squeezed Ginny's shoulders with his arm.

"It scared me a bit, to be perfectly honest," he admitted.

"Why?" Ginny asked quietly.

"I don't want you getting hurt. Inside or outside of Hogwarts. No one does."

---

December came soon enough. The weather continued to worsen as did Ginny's mood. There was a noticeable difference in her and the Marauders and her friends didn't know whether it was from the approaching holiday or something else. The tension in Ginny didn't ease when McGonagall had gone around to each of the houses to find out who was staying over the holidays and who was going home.

"You can't spend Christmas alone Ginny!" James said heatedly. "Come home with me."

Ginny looked at her friend's desperate expression and shook her head. This was why she had to stop doing homework in the Gryffindor common room.

"I can't. I'd rather just stay here, at Hogwarts."

"Liar," James said, narrowing his eyes. "Why won't you just spend the holidays with me?"

"I don't want to be a burden," Ginny answered.

Her response was half-truthful. She didn't want to burden the Potters, whom she never met, and she didn't know if she could spend that much time with Sirius without going mad. Once again she was overanalyzing everything; she felt as though the future, where her real life was, was something she was forgetting and that the past was becoming her life.

"No one is a burden to my parents," he quickly responded.

Ginny sighed loudly. Sirius remained quiet through the conversation, though Ginny knew he wished to fight alongside with James. Perhaps if Ginny hadn't snapped at him the other night about leaving her to herself he would have jumped in. Merlin, she was messing everything up.

"And what of your aunt? You're just going to leave her alone on Christmas?" James questioned.

Glancing up, Ginny caught Remus' curious eyes. He was probably wondering how quick she could think up a lie.

"She won't be home," Ginny answered. "She travels for work."

James slumped in his seat and Ginny looked away from Remus.

"I don't want you to be alone on Christmas," Sirius' words were loud and caused Ginny to breathe in sharply.

"The professors-"

"Ah! Don't worry, Sirius, she won't be alone!"

The new voice startled Ginny and she looked up to see two people she didn't expect to see.

"Fabian, Gideon," James greeted with a nod.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked, his eyes narrowing. "You two staying here too?"

Ginny watched, curious, as Gideon came and sat down beside her on the couch.

"Of course not! I have nephews to take care of!" Gideon said, pretending to be offended. "And Ginny is going to be coming with us."

Time stopped for a minute as Ginny stared at Gideon. Was that… was that an invite to go to the Burrow for Christmas? Ginny stayed silent until she realized the boys were all waiting for a response.

"Really?" she asked.

"Would we kid you?" Fabian responded. "Molly would love to have another female around the house and when we found out you had nowhere to go for Christmas she insisted you come home with us."

"How did you two know I had nowhere to go?" Ginny looked at her twin uncles, who grinned.

"Well, we were right behind you when you told McGonagall," Gideon said.

Ginny didn't know how to respond. Would she really be able to spend Christmas with her family? It was like a dream come true.

"I can really come home with you two?"

Fabian nodded and Gideon gave a loud 'yes' as the answer. Looking at the Marauders, she saw mixed reactions. James just seemed pleased that Ginny was going to go somewhere, Peter was eyeing the other boys, Remus had a closed off expression and Sirius looked… upset.

"Okay," Ginny whispered. "Thank you."

---

It took another two days for Ginny to gather her thoughts on the situation with Remus. When she did she sent him an owl to meet up with her outside the Room of Requirements after dinner, which he did as she knew he would. He was calmly sitting against the wall, waiting for her, and she smiled slightly when she saw him.

"Hey," she greeted and he returned her smile.

"You've decided it was time to sit down and talk?"

Ginny nodded and, after pacing in front of the wall three times, a door appeared. The two students entered and took a seat on the familiar couch. Remus immediately turned to Ginny to hear what she had to say.

"I'll do it."

The three words echoed in the room and Remus silently nodded.

"I don't remember all the battles, though. And how do you even plan on using the information properly-"

"I'm going to join the Order, if Dumbledore will have me. He's been recruiting wizards and witches already. Haven't you noticed the older people at Hogwarts?" Remus was touching his nose as he spoke.

"Not really," Ginny admitted. "I haven't been paying attention. There have been other things I've been thinking of."

Remus' eyes narrowed as he looked at her.

"You didn't think Dumbledore innocently sat at Slughorn's party when all those brilliant witches and wizards were there, did you? Sirius mentioned only a few of the ones who arrived and they alone would be a great asset to the Order."

Ginny blinked, realizing she hadn't even thought of that. Remus always was rather smart.

"Over Christmas try to remember the battles and just write them down. By the time I join the Order I'll be able to have some effect. Just tell me if giants were involved, what Deatheaters died in the battle, that sort of thing," Remus continued.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny leaned into the couch. She still felt uneasy about everything, as though she weren't meant to be doing it.

"And speaking of Christmas, Ginny," slowly began Remus. "You're staying with the Prewitt twins?"

The two students stared at each other for a long moment before Ginny hesitantly nodded.

"I have nowhere else to go and I couldn't bother James, as much as he might have wanted me to."

Remus nodded.

"So you don't mind bothering the twins?"

Ginny opened her mouth before closing it.

"Remus…"

"I had warned you about Sirius, don't you remember? A while ago, back in the library, I told you to be careful about Sirius. And you didn't heed my warning."

Unsure of why the topic changed so, Ginny simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm sorry?" she offered.

"No, you're not," Remus responded lightly. "And that's all for the better, I suppose. But now you're a part of his life in a way none of us are. And now I feel as though I should have warned him about you instead of vise versa."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, somewhat offended.

"He likes you. He wants you to be in his life for a long while and you're not going to be. I… we're all family now Ginny, don't you see that? Me, you, James, Sirius, Peter; we're one family. And we need to be willing to do things we don't want to do for each other and we need to face facts because life is changing dramatically outside the walls of this school and-"

"Remus, what are you saying?" Ginny snapped, her cheeks flushing as she tried to understand what he meant.

Remus looked nervous as he spoke to her and he was obviously trying to take control of his words.

"Christmas time is for family. And Sirius is going to need you there. Because his real family is just as far away as your real family is. And I understand that you need whatever the Prewitt twins have but I must ask you to come to the Potter's for the end of the Christmas holidays. Sirius is going to need you because now, if you were not to show up for the holidays, the family wouldn't be complete."

"He considers me his family?" Her voice was weak as she stared at Remus.

"Ginny, _I_ consider you my family. We all do. How can you not see that? We love you, very much so."

She didn't know how to respond. Ginny wasn't a stupid girl, she had seen the way the boys cared for her and how they were so protective over her. But she had never imagined that they considered her family, an honor she wasn't sure how to accept. Of course, if she had really thought on it, she would have realized that's what they were to her also. When she had no one in the world the Marauders came crashing in and took her in without even thinking on it.

And this was just what she had worried over. This was her mixing the past and the future too much. She was growing to love these boys- hell, to be truthful, she already loved these boys. If only she had been raised in this time or, better yet, if only Voldemort never existed and the boys' lives weren't ruined. How was she suppose to leave this behind?

Ginny jumped when Remus squeezed her hand.

"You do see it, right?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she muttered back. "How could I not? You know my secrets, James is my guardian and Sirius… he has my heart."

Admitting it made Ginny's eyes water. What was she doing? How could she be doing this to these boys? She was going to leave them to a dark future after making herself such a big part of their lives.

"Remus, I can't do this!" Ginny hurriedly said, desperate. "I can't-I can't do this anymore. The future is horrible, you don't understand, and I can't just leave you boys behind. How am I suppose to just _leave_ you behind like you're nothing?"

"Stop it," Remus sharply said, taking control just as she needed him to. "Everything is going to be alright and even if you have to leave us we're going to meet up with you again. You said you knew me already and if that's true then you know James and Sirius and Peter."

"You don't know the secrets I do," she whispered, her heart constricting as she looked at him. "The future is horrible-"

"And you can fix it."

Ginny shook her head, wondering if Remus was going to try to get her to tell him the secrets of the future again. She couldn't handle that because right now, in her moment of desperation, she wanted to fix it. Her resolve wasn't strong enough to not tell.

"When you go back to your time you can fix all the problems."

How Remus' eyes looked as he spoke made Ginny still.

The boy's eyes were scared, scared because Ginny couldn't assure him that everything was going to be okay eventually. He was scared because she couldn't handle what she knew and he didn't know what she knew. Remus knew she didn't want to love the boys as much as she did and that made him doubtful of himself and of her. But he wouldn't let that stop him from trying to help her and, along the way, help himself.

"Don't think that because the future has already happened for you that you can't fix your future and our own, if need be," he told her. "You're a brilliant witch and you can do whatever you need to do. Because you'll go back to your time and you'll fix it right? You won't let it be horrible."

Ginny stared at him, knowing what he was asking her even if he didn't know what he was. And, suddenly, Ginny wondered if somehow, in the past, she'd be able to save Sirius in the future.

----------------

Author's Note: There you go! This chapter came out a bit differently then planned but I think I adore it, pretty much. Enjoy. And please give me some feedback!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Seventeen_

_Diagon Alley_

"Did you see the Daily Prophet?"

"Yeah. All those Muggles killed… it's horrible."

"The Ministry is starting to hire students to be Aurors right out of Hogwarts, I heard. Go through a couple months of training and then they're throwing you out onto the battlefields."

"Battlefields? There are battlefields? They don't write about that in the Prophet."

Ginny opened her eyes, surprised that she had fallen asleep on the ride from Hogwarts to King's Cross Station. Usually she wasn't able to manage. Rubbing her eyes, she took a second before glancing around the compartment.

Remus, Lily and James were all talking to each other; expressions on their faces that made Ginny feel as though they were a trio of friends that had known each other for a long while. Peter, who was sitting beside Remus and across from Ginny, was reading the Daily Prophet with wide eyes. Sirius, who had his arm wrapped around Ginny, was snoring lightly next to her. His face was smashed against the window and Ginny was sure he was drooling. She smiled softly.

"My dad's an Auror," James confided in Lily. "He shouldn't tell me about it but he does. There are battles out there and the Ministry isn't letting the Prophet write about it. They don't want the public to be scared he told me."

Ginny's smile turned to a frown as she realized how familiar that sounded.

"That's almost unreal, isn't it? There's a war occurring and we don't even notice because we're safe at Hogwarts," Lily said, her face strained. "Muggles are being targeted and killed just because they're not magical."

Remus and James stared at Lily, unsure of how to react to her vulnerable state. She must have noticed the silence for she sat up, straightening her back and putting on a mask. No longer did she look afraid, only embarrassed. With a kind hand, Remus reached over and touched Lily lightly on the knee.

"Your family will be fine," he told her.

"How do you know?" Lily asked.

"Lily," James whispered her name and they caught eyes.

Suddenly Ginny felt like she was intruding on a very private moment, despite the fact that there were four other people in the compartment with Lily and James. There was something in James' eyes as he looked at Lily that was indescribable and truly touching. Even Remus, who had very clearly been apart of the conversation, got a light blush on his face and looked away. And that's when he caught Ginny eavesdropping.

"Ah, you're awake!"

Lily and James looked away from each other, with Lily seeming much more relaxed, and towards Ginny. The air in the train compartment changed comfortably, as did the topic.

"We'll be arriving soon," the Head Girl stated primly, though her lips were curved in a smile. "I can't wait to see my family, it's been too long."

"Yeah," James agreed, leaning back and stretching his arms above his head. "My parents want to meet the two of you at the station. They said something about not wanting scandalous women spending the holidays with them."

Ginny laughed and reached over to punch James in the arm. Lily looked mildly horrified.

"They did not!" Lily cried.

Remus was chuckling to himself at the girls' reactions.

"'Course not. My mum's happy I'm bringing home two ladies who, how did she put it?" James cleared his throat in order to impersonate his mother. "'Who actually like the four of you boys despite you being rowdy demons.' "

"We're not rowdy demons," a tired voice suddenly cut in. "We're just misunderstood."

"Hear, hear!" James shouted, reaching over to shake Sirius' shoulder.

Sirius opened an eye to peer at his friend, that wolfish grin of his coming to his face as he did so. Just as Sirius fully woke up, opening his other eye and nipping at Ginny's ear with his teeth playfully, the train began to slow. Giggling, Ginny pushed Sirius away from her.

"I have to go get my trunk from the other compartment," Lily said, standing. "I'll see you sometime after Christmas?"

She directed this question to everyone in the compartment but her eyes caught Ginny's. Despite the fact that Lily had now been spending much more time with the Marauders, easily accepted just as Ginny had been, she seemed to fear being alone with all four boys at once. But, then again, after treating one of their best mates like a bag of dung for several years could do that to you. Ginny nodded her head.

"Have a merry Christmas, Lily," Ginny responded. "I'll be excited to handle these boys with you over New Years."

Lily laughed as did James.

"I'll come with you." James stood up also, grabbing his trunk from the rack above them and tugging it down. "Sirius, make sure Ginny meets my mum and dad before she rushes off with the Weasleys, all right?"

"Yeah, 'course," Sirius responded.

With a mixture of farewells, James and Lily left the compartment. The train had almost come to a complete stop now and Remus stood up, grabbing his trunk and pulling it down and then doing the same for Ginny. Ginny flashed him a smile when he did so and he sent her a wink.

"Ah, Ginny, get your devil cat, will you?" hissed Sirius as the feline glared.

Conveniently Crookshanks was perched right next to Sirius' bag. Hopping up, Ginny stood on her tiptoes to grab Crookshanks, cradling the kitten to her chest as soon as she had a hold of him.

"Sirius, you do realize you didn't pack a trunk," Ginny commented as she placed Crookshanks in her handbag.

Thankfully the kitten fit perfectly for Ginny didn't have something to carry Crookshanks in like Hermione did. The sudden thought of Hermione, who Ginny hadn't thought of in so long, caused her to still. What were Harry, Ron and Hermione doing right now? Rushing into the face of danger for the sake of the wizarding world?

"-enough clothes at the Potter's house so I don't even bother bringing my trunk with me. There really isn't a point."

Blinking, Ginny looked up and faked a smile, unsure of what Sirius had said. Remus glanced at her before getting distracted by Peter, who had just crumbled the Prophet into a ball and thrown it on the floor.

"Could you even imagine?" Peter asked, his voice trembling.

Sirius, Ginny and Remus looked at Peter, curious.

"What's that, Peter?" Remus slowly questioned.

"Having that much power to just… destroy entire wizarding and Muggle families in the blink of an eye and having no one stop you? All that power…" Peter trailed off and despite the obvious disgust in his voice there was something else.

With furrowed eyebrows, Sirius grabbed the handle of Ginny's trunk and began preparing to leave.

"Wormtail," Sirius said as he slid open the compartment door. "Having that much power isn't a good thing."

"I know that!" Peter answered, looking at his friends with wide eyes.

Ginny couldn't stop staring at Peter. The longing that had been in his voice, buried deep under the disgust, made her feel a bit sick. And it made her aware of why he wouldn't stay loyal to his friends.

"What he means," Remus continued for Sirius, sending Peter a gentle smile. "Is that eventually Voldemort will be killed. One wizard can not handle that much power. The Ministry just needs to get its act together."

Without Ginny noticing, Sirius had already begun down the aisle. Saying quick goodbyes to Remus and Peter, Ginny rushed down the aisle of the train to catch up with Sirius. When she reached him he automatically took a hold of her hand and flashed her a grin. They pushed through the crowded aisle, eventually getting to a door that let them get off the Hogwarts Express. And Ginny's breath was taken away.

It had been so long since she had seen this many people fill King's Cross Station. In her time an incredible amount of students didn't return to Hogwarts. Kings Cross Station hadn't been nearly this full when she boarded the train to head to Hogwarts for her sixth year. With envious eyes, Ginny watched as parents and children were reunited. The noise level was loud from cries of cheer and stories being quickly explained from child to parent.

Sirius continued forward, use to the noise. He walked as though he knew right where the Potters would be and, surprisingly, within a couple of minutes Sirius came upon two adults who looked extremely like James. Ginny quickly took in the witch and the wizard, the grandparents of a boy she loved so. They both had kind faces but had yet to notice the arrival of Sirius and herself.

"Why hello," Sirius said in way of greeting and the parents turned startled eyes to him.

"Oh, Sirius!" The woman laughed, grabbing him in a hug.

The man, Mr. Potter, watched this with an amused expression before taking notice of Ginny. He stepped forward and allowed his wife to fuss over Sirius.

"You must be Ginny," Mr. Potter said, reaching out to shake Ginny's hand.

She nodded and shook his hand. Taking in Mr. Potter's face, she saw that he was older then most wizarding parents with a single child. Most of his hair was gray, though Ginny did spot some defining black strands. Wrinkles were etched into his face but, as he smiled, Ginny found that hard to notice. He was extremely handsome despite his age.

"Ah, good grip. A Quidditch player, obviously," Mr. Potter noticed, releasing her hand. "I'm James' dad, Edward. How do you do?"

"I'm quite fine," Ginny responded. "And you?"

"Well, despite the weather being horrible outside, I'm also fine. Glad to have the boys back home."

Just as he finished that statement Sirius jumped into the conversation.

"So Aurora told me that you two were spying on James' first meeting with Lily's parents?" he asked, his voice boyish and happy.

"Aurora! How could you lie to our son's best friend like that?" Mr. Potter asked, turning to his wife, a laughing tone easing his words, before looking back at Ginny. "We would never spy on our son. Never."

Mrs. Potter shook her head, though she was laughing softly. She wrapped an arm around her husband's waist and leaned into him, tilting her head as she looked at Ginny.

"So you're Sirius' girlfriend?" Mrs. Potter asked, not unkindly.

Ginny, who was expecting anything but that to be the first thing Mrs. Potter said to her, opened her mouth to speak before closing it. She felt like she had been doing that a lot lately. Sirius, not allowing the moment to become awkward, grabbed Ginny in one swift movement and pressed a melting kiss to her lips. When he released her she felt her face flame up.

"Does that answer your ques- ow! What was that for?" Sirius cried, rubbing his arm.

"What a great first impression," Ginny hissed, smacking Sirius again. "Snogging me before I can even say one word to her!"

Ginny glanced at Mr. and Mrs. Potter, ready to try to explain or apologize or something, and was surprised to see them laughing again.

"Just as I thought," Mrs. Potter said softly. "Sirius would only be bringing home a girl who knew how to handle him properly."

"Yes, well," Ginny sheepishly began. "I've learned how to deal with boys after spending my early years with my brothers."

Mrs. Potter nodded and wisely didn't question Ginny about her family, who didn't even notice her slip of tongue. Sirius, who seemed pleased that the first meeting was going over so well, turned to Ginny.

"The Prewitt twins warned me not to keep you long," he said. "I saw their lot over that way. Want me to take you over there?"

Ginny looked in the direction he nodded to. She could see a tall, skinny man with red hair in the distance and felt her heart constrict. Was that her father?

"No… I'll go by myself. I'll see you after Christmas." Standing on her tip toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Goodbye, it was great meeting you."

Mr. and Mrs. Potter returned her words.

"We'll see you after the holidays, dear. Enjoy your Christmas," Mr. Potter told her. "Be safe."

Nodding, Ginny took her trunk from Sirius and headed off in the direction of where she believed her father stood. Her heart was beginning to beat faster and her palms were beginning to sweat. This was the first time she'd be seeing her family in months. The last time she heard her father speak was the night before she went off to school. It seemed so long ago.

And, suddenly, she was there. Standing in front of her were the Prewitt twins, a small boy and her father. They were oblivious to her arrival. Fabian was chatting with her father, a gleeful look on his face as he asked on his sister's pregnancy. Gideon was holding the small boy who could be no more then six. The boy was laughing shrilly as Gideon tipped him upside down.

"Mum!" The boy cried, his blue eyes glowing.

Gideon flipped the boy back around and put him safely on his feet after hearing what the boy cried. Brushing some of his hair from his face, Gideon rushed forward to introduce Ginny to his family. The little boy followed him, hopping on one foot then the other while doing so.

"Arthur, this is Ginny," Gideon said, tugging on the tall man's arm.

For a second Ginny couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the amazement that took over her. Before her was her father, who looked so much healthier then she had ever seen him in her life. He had a full head of hair and his face was just beginning to receive wrinkles. A crooked, familiar smile hung on his lips as he nodded to Ginny.

"You do look a lot like Molly," was the first thing her father said, his eyes sparkling. "Are you sure you want to stay with us for Christmas? We're a rather loud bunch."

A laugh escaped Ginny's lips before she could help it and she nodded.

"I don't know where else I'd rather be in the whole world," she whispered, the feeling of her heart constricting getting worse.

"There's the spirit!" Fabian said before picking up the small boy. "This, Charlie, is not your mum. This is Ginny. She's spending Christmas with us."

Charlie grinned at Ginny. He was missing some teeth and his face was covered in freckles. It was so strange for Ginny to see her older brother as a small child. The experience was surreal.

"Hullo Charlie," Ginny greeted.

She couldn't believe she was managing to talk to her father and brother without crying. Only the pain in her chest let her know she hadn't gone into shock.

"'Ello Ginny!" Charlie said back. "You look like my mum!"

"I've heard," Ginny responded, her smile expanding with each passing moment.

"Is that a cat?" Charlie screamed, pushing himself out of his uncle's arms to rush towards Ginny.

He reached into Ginny's bag and pulled out Crookshanks, who glared at Charlie for handling him so roughly. His young face was alit with wonder and he put his face as close to Crookshanks without actually touching the kitten.

"Charlie! That is not your kitten to grab!" Arthur said, sighing. "Sorry, Ginny, he has a fascination with animals and can't help himself. Usually he's well behaved."

"Yeah," Gideon agreed, snorting. "It's Bill you have to worry about."

"Well, let's get back to the Burrow. Molly's preparing lunch." Arthur smiled at Ginny, who couldn't find anything to say.

She was going home.

---

The Floo ride to the Burrow caused Ginny to feel dizzy and sick. After years of traveling by Floo, her reaction to it surprised her and she leveled it down to the simple fact that she didn't know how she'd handle spending her Christmas at the Burrow. It had seemed like a good idea when it was first presented.

Ginny stumbled out of the fireplace and grabbed onto the first thing she could, which happened to be her father. He helped steady her.

"Alright there?" he asked.

Nodding, Ginny regained her balance and looked around the Burrow. It looked a bit different but not too much. The furniture seemed to be in a better state but there was a good amount of toys laying about the room. Several pictures of the boys hung on the wall crooked that were never there before and the walls were painted a different color. But, overall, it was just as much her home as it was in her time.

Stepping away from the fireplace, for it flashed green to warn her that someone was arriving, Ginny allowed her manners to get away from her and began towards the kitchen. She heard Fabian arrive with Charlie, who was hooting with laughter from the ride, but she didn't turn around to check on them. Because in the kitchen was her mum.

She was very pregnant, a state that Ginny had never been able to see her, and was cooking. Humming under her breath, she peeked over her shoulder when she felt the arrival of someone in her kitchen. Her eyes widened when she saw Ginny.

"Hullo dear," she kindly said, wiping her hands on her apron and walking over to her. "You must be Ginny?"

Ginny nodded, feeling a weak smile come to her face. This was like a sweet punishment for her. She couldn't hug her parents and tell them of her troubles like she normally would and that was unbearable. But she could be with them, watching as they ignorantly put a roof over their future daughter's head.

"My, you are lovely. Are you one of the boys girlfriend?" her mum asked.

"No, Molly!" A shout came from the other room.

With that Gideon came into the room, promptly walking up to his sister and pressing a kiss to her forehead before looking her over. Fabian came only a moment later, Charlie rushing to follow the older boy, and followed the same route of kissing and checking over his sister. Ginny barely noticed the tugging on her pant leg for she was so absorbed in the scene before her.

"Kitten! Can I see it again?" Charlie asked politely, though a bit impatient.

Ginny looked down at her little… big brother and squatted down beside him so that they were the same height. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out the kitten and handed it to him.

"Treat him carefully," she warned. "He can get a rather nasty attitude sometimes."

But her warning seemed to only make Charlie want to test the kitten's limits more. Ginny grinned as Charlie rushed to show his mum the kitten.

"Oh, that's a beautiful cat, Charlie. Where's Bill? Fabian, will you go grab him? Lunch is ready. And where is- Oh, there you are Arthur. Look at Percy! He's been reading that book to me all day."

"Reading it to you?" Arthur questioned, amazed.

Her father walked over to the kitchen table and sat beside a very little boy who Ginny hadn't even noticed. Looking at him, Ginny immediately saw Percy before her. His hair was curly just like Ginny's which, in later years, he would learn to control. But, in his young state, he looked absolutely adorable. He wore glasses already and had a book in front of him.

"He's only two," her mum explained to her. "But he's extremely smart. Started reading before either of the other two."

Ginny took a seat across from Percy at the table. Gideon, who had been taste testing the food, joined her after Molly swatted him away from the oven. Percy looked up at Ginny, taking her in with his sharp brown eyes, before looking back to his book. The book was one Ginny recognized, filled with pictures and having few words. But for a two year old to be able to read it was amazing.

"Hi, I'm Ginny," she introduced herself, catching Percy's attention again.

He seemed shy and looked to his father before saying anything back.

"I'm Percy," he said back.

Ginny smiled before turning her attention to her mum, who was bustling about the kitchen.

"Do you need any help with anything, Mu-" Ginny caught herself before the word came out all the way.

Gideon, though, noticed, as did Molly.

"I'm sorry," Ginny quickly said. "I never caught your name."

Molly pursed her lips a bit before relaxing, for she never did introduce herself to Ginny.

"Sorry about that, Ginny, it's always so hectic around here that I forget my manners sometimes," Molly explained. "I'm Molly. Arthur, can you grab this pot for me? And where is Fabian and Bill? Charlie, put down the kitten and sit at the table."

Ginny felt her face flushing as she caught eyes with Gideon, who seemed a bit confused. The Prewitt twins had mentioned Molly to Ginny often, so much that she should have known their sister's name. But, with a shake of his head, Gideon let the strange occurrence pass.

"Coming, coming!" Fabian entered the kitchen with, who could only be, Bill thrown over his shoulder.

Placing Bill in one of the seats at the table, Fabian rushed to grab the other side of a pot of soup from Arthur. Ginny looked at Bill, who was red in the face but grinning.

"And what exactly was he up to?" Molly asked.

"Up in the attic," Fabian said with a huff, placing the pot on the table.

"The attic?" Molly shrilly said. "Bill, that is off limits and you know that."

"Yeah but the ghoul must get lonely sometimes, Mum," Bill said, sending his mum a wide eyed look.

Molly didn't fall for it.

"Ghoul? I want to go!" Charlie cried from his spot at the table, grabbing his fork excitedly.

"You are not allowed up there either, Charlie," Arthur kindly said.

"William, if I find you up there again you won't be allowed out in the snow," Molly warned.

Bill looked stricken.

"Not fair!" he shouted.

"Stop bothering that poor ghoul, you're setting a bad example for your two brothers," Gideon told the young boy sternly, though sending him a wink when Molly wasn't looking.

Bill sulked in his seat.

"Some soup, Ginny?" Fabian asked, pouring some soup into the bowl in front of Ginny before she could respond.

Discussion burst out around the table as the eating began. Ginny watched with hungry eyes, taking in everyone's movement. This was her family. This is what she was missing out on. Molly was eating but listening dutifully to her husband's talk about work at the Ministry. Fabian was cooling Percy's soup with a spell while running his fingers through the two-year-old's hair adoringly. Charlie had his eyes on the floor, where Crookshanks was at. Bill continued to be quiet, though he always did stay rather quiet at the dinner table even in Ginny's time.

"They're a lot to handle," Gideon muttered to Ginny. "But you'll be fine. Just be yourself."

---

The rest of the night had been spent by the fireplace. Molly made hot cocoa for everyone and they had just relaxed. Charlie, who seemed quite taken with Ginny for having brought the kitten, had sat beside her the entire night, often trying to get her attention by telling somewhat hard to understand tales. Bill had sat next to Gideon and had been making him recount stories about Hogwarts. In only three years, Bill was going to be going off to the wizarding school.

Arthur and Fabian had been discussing, once again, the Ministry. Their tones, though, were whispered and Ginny had a feeling they weren't discussing simple things. Molly, with her eyes closed, had been cradling a sleeping Percy to her chest, humming her baby to sleep.

Now Ginny laid in a slightly uncomfortable bed in what would eventually become Ron's room. Crookshanks, after having such a busy night trying to avoid an energetic six year old boy, was sleeping peaceful on her stomach. The position was uncomfortable for Ginny but she didn't have the heart to move the kitten. She closed her eyes, trying to find some sleep, and briefly wondered what Sirius was doing at that moment.

---

"Ginny?"

"Leave her alone, Charlie."

"But mum said everyone has to wake up to go to Diagon Alley!"

"You just want to play with her kitten."

Ginny lazily opened her eyes, surprised to see that sitting on the end of her bed were Bill and Charlie. Bill looked at her with warm eyes when he saw that she was awake and crawled up the bed, towards her face.

"We're going to Diagon Alley today," he whispered to her, as though it were a secret. "We're going Christmas shopping."

"Want to come?" Charlie asked distractedly, his head tilted as he watched Crookshanks.

"Sounds brilliant," Ginny muttered, rubbing her face with her hands.

Just then the door to her bedroom slowly opened and Arthur's head popped in. He looked at Ginny before he caught sight of the two little boys on her bed.

"Charlie, Bill! Leave her alone!" Arthur said, opening the door wider. "Sorry, Ginny, they get so distracted when company is at the house. Fabian and Gideon have learned to wisely lock their doors at night."

Bill jumped off the bed and headed over to his dad, slipping past him to leave the room. Charlie got off the bed but seemed a bit more upset about leaving the room.

"You can take Crookshanks with you," Ginny told him.

His face brightened and Crookshanks sent her a glare when the young boy picked him up. Ginny grinned tiredly and curled into a ball under her covers. Arthur began to close the door before stopping.

"We're going Christmas shopping in a bit, Ginny, if you'd like to come. Fabian and Gideon have a habit of sleeping in and won't be awake for a couple more hours. So it would just be me and Molly and the boys," Arthur informed her.

"I'll go," Ginny said, uncurling. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."

Arthur nodded, shutting the door. After a few moments of laying in the bed, Ginny threw the covers off her body and sat up. Blood rushed to her head from the movement. Then she got up and began searching through her trunk for something to wear. It seemed like the weather was worse then the day before and that prompted Ginny to grab heavier clothes. As she shook out one of her sweaters, she remembered Dumbledore's warning to her.

He had sent her a letter via owl before the train ride back to King's Cross Station. It had started off normal, stating that he wished her the best of Christmas' and that he hoped the approaching new year would begin well for her. Then, at the end of the letter, he asked her to heed the dangers outside of the walls of Hogwarts. Dumbledore warned that, while he was the only wizard to know of her secret, there were other powerful wizards who had possibly felt the ripple of magic. If it were true that other wizards (and she assumed he was speaking of Voldemort) had felt the magic, that they would be looking for whoever caused it.

_Just be careful. And be wise about who you trust. Some will be willing to lead you to your death if it will benefit them. _

_Yours truly,_

_Albus__ Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore_

Those were the last words on the parchment. Ginny was still as she thought of that. She was sure Dumbledore didn't want her to stay inside her whole vacation at the Burrow but his letter hadn't eased her worries about leaving Hogwarts.

---

The Weasleys took the Floo to Diagon Alley and this time Ginny didn't feel quite as sick as she had before. Perhaps it was because she had carried Charlie while they traveled through Floo; only because it was better that Molly didn't carry heavy things while she was pregnant. Diagon Alley was busy, a sight that Ginny wasn't use to once again. It was cold but the shops were filled with bright lights. Children were running down the street, screaming with glee.

It was Christmas time.

Ginny shifted Charlie from one hip to the other. He had asked her rather politely if she would carry him and she couldn't resist. After all, how often did one get to carry their big brother around? Molly pursed her lips at Charlie but didn't say anything.

"Well, Ginny, we have to buy a few presents for the family and you're welcome to join us. I just wasn't sure if you had anywhere specific you'd like to go," Molly said, touching Arthur's arm lightly to stop him from walking.

Ginny just shrugged with a small smile.

"And we have to go shopping for the kids too." At those words, Bill looked up with a wide grin. "Which is always a hassle."

"How about I just take Bill, Charlie and Percy and you and… Arthur can go shopping?" Ginny felt strange calling her dad Arthur but it had to be done.

An uneasy look came onto both her parents faces.

"That seems like a great idea but they can be a handful, Ginny dear. It would be too much to ask," Molly told her.

"Don't worry about it," Ginny said. "I have brothers and they are more of a handful then these three. It's the least I can do since you're letting me stay at your home."

Before Molly could say no, Arthur gave Ginny a grateful nod of agreement. Molly went to argue but Arthur just leaned in to whisper to Ginny.

"It's horrid trying to distract the boys when we're trying to buy them toys."

Ginny laughed and put Charlie down on the ground.

"Oh, Ginny dear, I don't want you to feel obligated-"

"I feel anything but obligated. I want to do this. I'll just meet you back here for lunch?"

Molly nodded her head slowly before hesitantly handing Percy to Ginny. Percy wrapped his arms around her neck and leaned his head onto her shoulder. He seemed tired.

"Don't worry, we'll just stay around Gambol and Japes."

Molly sighed.

"It's not you we don't trust, dear. It's the three boys you're in charge of." Molly knelt down to Bill and Charlie's eye level. "You behave for Ginny or you'll hear it when we get home! No running away from her."

"Yes, mum," responded Bill.

After a few moments, Arthur and Molly stepped into the crowd and were no longer seen. Ginny smiled down at Bill and Charlie, who seemed excited to be allowed to hang out with her alone.

"Are we really going to Gambol and Japes?" Bill asked. "Mum never lets us go in there, unless it's one of our birthdays."

Gambol and Japes was a joke store in Diagon Alley. Ginny could remember the visits to the joke shop on any of the Weasley children's birthdays.

"I wouldn't lie to you, Bill. And I definitely wouldn't lie to your mum," Ginny said, giggling. "Now hold onto Charlie's hand, Charlie you hold onto mine and we'll be able to head off."

When she was sure that Charlie and Bill were holding hands she began to walk them down the very familiar street of Diagon Alley. The boys would randomly get distracted by something in a shop window, causing Ginny to have to stop for a few minutes then pull them away. Percy, who remained still in her arms, let out a soft giggle whenever Bill or Charlie did something funny.

They got to Gambol and Japes and had to push their way through the crowd at the door. It was packed with wizards and witches buying Christmas presents.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best idea," Ginny said to Percy when Bill and Charlie went rushing away from her.

Percy stayed quiet.

Ginny shifted through the crowd and tried to look for the red heads of Charlie and Bill. She found them ten minutes later huddled in the back corner of the shop with a group of boys their age. They were laughing and playing with toys. Once she saw they were okay, Ginny made her way out of the store. There was only one entrance and exit so she knew the boys would have to pass her once they were ready to leave. It was just too crowded inside for Ginny to feel comfortable, especially with Percy in her arms.

Taking a seat on the bench right outside the shop, Ginny placed Percy on her lap. He was sucking his thumb, his brown eyes taking in everything around him. She kissed the top of his head.

"I miss you Percy," she whispered softly.

He tilted his head up to look at her before giving her a small smile. Ginny studied him. It was strange to see Percy so young, with chubby cheeks and unruly hair. He had a constant runny nose and seemed comfortable not doing anything at all.

"Stiles."

Ginny looked away from Percy, shocked to hear the voice that had just called her name. Walking towards her was Snape, dressed in all black. His face was pale but his cheeks were flushed from the cold air. Without realizing it, Ginny had stood up defensively, cradling Percy to her chest. Snape glanced at the child with a sneer.

"Is that your child?" he asked.

"Get away from me Snape," Ginny hissed.

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"Still angry about our little fight?" Snape asked, though he seemed more mocking then concerned.

Ginny felt her mouth twisting into a frown. Snape was so odd. She hadn't spoken to him since he had slapped her in that dark room. That night he had frightened her, truly frightened her, and she could feel her insides twisting right now as she tried to calm herself. There was something dark about Snape, something brewing under the surface of his façade, and Ginny wasn't sure she wanted to be present for when it exploded. She had already seen an episode of it.

No longer was Ginny's deal with Lily a concern to her.

Snape took a step closer to her, filling her view with him. She narrowed her eyes and felt Percy's grip on her shirt tighten.

"Why are you here?" Ginny asked.

Snape's eyes flickered with emotion and his lips tightened.

"I want to put our friendship to its test," he answered.

Ginny burst out into laughter, unable to help it. She collapsed back onto the bench, still cradling Percy.

"Our friendship? What friendship?" Ginny's tone was sharp compared to her laughter. "Get away from me Snape."

Despite her command, Snape did not move. The people walking in and out of the shop glanced at the pair with caution. It was obvious that there was a fight about to occur.

"The friendship that you've been trying so hard to form," Snape replied darkly. "Don't try to back out now."

Staring up at Snape, Ginny took in his features. He looked worse then the last time she saw him, which seemed hard to compare to. Snape looked like he was losing weight and was getting no sleep at all. Sympathy ran through Ginny even as her lip seemed to sting, as though it remembered the cut from his ring.

"What do you want?"

Ginny's tone must have been submissive for Snape's posture became less tense. He glanced at Percy, who was staring at him with wide eyes, before looking back at Ginny.

"I need your… assistance," he told her.

But before he could continue two little boys came running out of Gambol and Japes. Bill noticed Ginny first and tugged Charlie towards her. Their faces were lit up with glee. It was very odd to see these two cheerful, young boys standing next to Snape.

"Ginny! We found a bloody amazing-" Bill stopped short when he noticed Snape.

Charlie shrunk towards Bill when Snape looked at the two of them.

"I'll speak to you later," Snape said before striding away.

He went down a dark alley, where Ginny saw him meet up with another person. The person stared at her from the alley as Snape, bent awkwardly towards them, spoke. Ginny raised her eyebrows and stood up from the bench. She grabbed onto Charlie's hand and began crossing the street to get to the alley.

Who was that? And why were they waiting for Snape to finish talking to Ginny? She saw Snape straighten and before she could even get to the other side of the packed street the two were gone, disappearing into the darkness of the alleyway.

"Ginny?" Bill called from her other side. "Who was the ugly boy?"

Ginny's mouth was dry as she stared down the alleyway. Adrenaline and fear were buzzing through her system. Dumbledore's words echoed in her head and she tightened her grip on Charlie's hand.

"Let's go boys," she hoarsely said. "Time for lunch."

_Just be careful. And be wise about who you trust. Some will be willing to lead you to your death if it will benefit them. _

--------------------

Author's Note: I'm back  Please give me feedback on the chapter. It's a bit scruffy but this is the first time I've written in a while. Thanks!


	18. Chapter Eighteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Eighteen_

_Side-Along Apparition _

Sipping on a cup of warm tea, Ginny sat curled in a large chair in the living room. A fire crackled in the fireplace and lit the room up with a warm glow. Near the fireplace Bill, Charlie and Percy sat, opening their presents. Their faces were pink from laughing and occasionally one of the boys would stand up and run to one of the five adults in the room.

It was Christmas day already. Ginny swore time never flew by as fast as it did in the past week. The Weasleys had mostly stayed inside the Burrow but it did not mean that the time was uneventful. Bill, Charlie and Percy kept the adults on their toes. For Ginny it seemed like she was learning so much more about her brothers now since they were younger then she would in her normal time.

Bill was a bit of a troublemaker, though Fred and George would outshine him when they were born. He liked to visit the ghoul in the attic or adventure outside when nobody was looking. Jumping down three steps at a time, with the risk of breaking a leg, didn't seem dangerous to him. Ginny was surprised her mum hadn't had a heart attack yet.

Charlie, though, was more controllable since Ginny had Crookshanks to bribe him with. The younger boy liked following Fabian, Gideon or Ginny around whenever he was bored so he was always in sight. But he did like wrestling with Bill, which often ended in more tears than laughter.

Percy, always quiet, was hardly any trouble to the adults. Because of this fact, however, he was often forgotten when his older brothers were causing trouble. More then once Ginny realized she had left him alone downstairs while chasing Bill and Charlie upstairs with Fabian and Gideon. It made her heart a little sore, realizing this was probably why Percy would grow up to be such a git. Since he was quiet and well behaved he didn't receive as much attention as the other boys.

But, at the end of the day, there was still so much love in the Burrow. Ginny smiled as Bill galloped over to her, holding a toy he said he's wanted forever. He held it up for her to examine before rushing over to Gideon. Gideon, who was sitting on the ground near the fireplace, grabbed Bill and held him to his body. Bill squirmed to get out of the hold, laughing.

In two days time Ginny would be leaving her family behind to go to the Potters house. It was a double edged sword. As much as Ginny wanted to stay with her family, the family who she wouldn't see again till she returned to her own time, she wanted to spend as much time as she could with the Marauders and Lily. Her group of friends had sent her a small collection of gifts for the holiday and it had made her eyes well up with tears.

"Ginny dear," Molly called from the other side of the room.

Ginny looked at her mum with a small smile. She was still amazed to see her own mother pregnant, rubbing her large stomach with a caring hand.

"What time on Tuesday do you plan to leave to go to the Potters?" she asked Ginny.

"After lunch, I figured," Ginny responded.

"And how will you be getting there?" Arthur jumped into the conversation as he held Percy.

"Floo? I hadn't really thought on it, to be honest," she said. "I have the Potters address though."

Fabian reached over and squeezed Ginny's knee.

"Don't feel that you have to leave to hang out with your mates," Fabian said teasingly. "You fit in more with this family then anyone else. Look at your hair! You could be a Weasley yourself!"

Ginny laughed and swatted Fabian's hand away.

"I would love to stay with you," Ginny admitted. "And thank you so much for having me over Christmas."

Automatically Molly and Arthur began shushing her and letting her know that it was no trouble. Charlie was watching the scene with narrowed eyes and stood up from his spot in the middle of the room. He stomped over to Ginny and poked her knee.

"You're leaving?" he asked, his lip beginning to pout.

Ginny's face softened.

"In two days, yes," was the response. "I have to spend some time with my friends."

Charlie looked extremely upset and his lip poked out further.

"Please stay! Crookstinks-"

Ginny couldn't help her laughter. Charlie had a very hard time trying to say Crookshanks and often had different names for the kitten. Gideon had also begun to laugh.

"It hasn't even snowed yet! You said you'd play in the snow with us!" Charlie protested.

Charlie's determination for Ginny to stay faltered as soon as he saw Crookshanks from the corner of his eye. He rushed away, arms out in the front of him, trying to grab the kitten. Ginny watched him run into the kitchen before looking back at her family. Her chest tightened and she took a deep breath to calm herself. She would miss them.

Her dad stretched his legs out and let Percy walk over to Fabian. His posture changed as he got ready to bring up a serious topic. It was a look he got on his face that Ginny was quite familiar with.

"There's been talk going around the Ministry," he finally said.

Molly's lips pursed when Fabian and Gideon immediately became interested.

"What type of talk exactly?" Gideon questioned.

Arthur seemed torn between telling the three teenagers what he knew and keeping quiet. There was a tense pause in which he ran his hand over his face. It was a sign of tiredness.

"Not too long ago there was a disturbance of magic," Arthur began. "No one is quite sure what caused it… You-Know-Who, perhaps, or… or something else."

Ginny, who had been looking at Bill, froze in her seat.

"What type of something else?" Fabian leaned forward in excitement.

Arthur was nervously biting his bottom lip. He sighed.

"Don't speak of this to your mates, boys. And I trust that you'll also keep this to yourself, Ginny," Arthur said.

Ginny forced herself to nod.

"We'd never tell a soul, Arthur," Fabian cried out.

"We don't have any mates, after all," Gideon jokingly added.

Bill, Charlie and Percy were oblivious to the adults' discussion. Molly sighed, rubbing her pregnant stomach.

"Time travel," was all Arthur said.

The group soaked in the shocking news. Fabian and Gideon had looks of astonishment on their faces. Arthur was just nodding to himself and Molly closed her eyes.

It was as though Ginny's system had shut down. She was tense, still. Her family had no idea that it was her who had traveled in time. But a wave of fear washed over her from the simple fact that the whole Ministry knew about it. If the Ministry, the corrupt Ministry, knew that someone had traveled in time that meant that Voldemort knew.

Ginny felt dizzy and nauseous.

"Are they friend or foe, Arthur?" Fabian asked.

Arthur shrugged.

"No one knows anything. But it was a big enough ripple of magic that we know it's years the person traveled. Years, not months or days. This person knows the secrets of the future…"

"How do you know they're not from the past?" Gideon inquired.

"Different types of ripples of magic. Traveling into the future is dangerous, deadly. The person who is traveling could die just from the intensity of the magic. By traveling into the future you're going into the unknown. When traveling into the past you're going into something that is already written. The past can be changed but… not really. Everything that happens is meant to happen. It's not as harsh on the person traveling. But going into the future is a much bigger deal."

Ginny's hands were shaking and she put her cup of tea on the ground to try to distract herself. But her father's words seemed to have paralyzed her. Her movements were sharp and awkward. Suddenly she felt out of place. She needed… she needed to see Dumbledore.

"It's all just rumors. I do hope that person is under some protection, however," Arthur told the group. "And I do hope they're on our side."

---

The next two days were a strange entanglement of happiness, sadness and fear. The days passed quickly and the nights passed slowly. Ginny found that she was unable to sleep, unable to close her eyes, for fear that if she let her guard down something would happen.

What if Voldemort came? What if the Ministry found out it was her who had traveled in time? What if something happened to her family? What would Sirius think? When it was finally time to leave, Ginny didn't know whether to feel relieved or upset.

Her trunk was much heavier than it was when she had first arrived at the Burrow. She had shoved all her belongings into her trunk right after lunch occurred; a lunch that Ginny hadn't been able to enjoy. Her food was hardly touched and her family seemed to notice her change in persona. All Ginny could think about was getting to Hogwarts.

There was no way she'd be able to head to the Potters now. She had to speak to Dumbledore.

Now she stood in front of the fireplace, ready to leave her family behind. Despite her feeling of fear, Ginny began to feel more normal as she hugged everyone goodbye. She gave her father and mum a kiss on the cheek, thanking them repeatedly for taking her in. Fabian and Gideon also got kisses on the cheeks, though she did have to smack Fabian when he grabbed her butt as he hugged her goodbye. Bill thanked her for the bag of joke toys she had bought him. Charlie, clearly upset, refused to let go of her until Gideon tugged him off. Percy gave her a kiss on the lips and a huge smile when she kissed him back.

"Have a safe trip. You sure you don't want one of the boys to go with you? To make sure you end up safe?" Molly questioned.

Ginny shook her head. She glanced in her bag to make Crookshanks was secure in it before grabbing a handful of Floo powder.

"I'll be heading to Hogsmeade before I go to the Potters," Ginny quickly explained. "Have to pick up a gift."

Fabian's eyebrows rose in curiosity but none of the family questioned her. They didn't really have time to. Tossing the powder into the fire, Ginny stepped in with her trunk. It was time to see Dumbledore.

The fire consumed her body and suddenly she was being tossed around in a way that only traveling by Floo could do. It wasn't long before she landed with a loud crash. Stumbling out of the fireplace, someone rushed to help her up.

"Hullo! I wasn't expecting any customers today! I'm closed until tomorrow!"

Ginny sheepishly looked up. Rosmerta, the charming keeper of the Three Broomsticks, was grinning at her.

"I'm just going to Hogwarts," Ginny told her. "I figured this would be the quickest way, I'm sorry, I didn't even think of the Christmas holidays-"

"Don't worry, poppet," Rosmerta responded, brushing some dirt off Ginny's cloak. "I was just about to leave, to see some family. You're lucky I didn't close the Floo yet."

With a grateful smile, Ginny lifted her trunk and checked on Crookshanks. The kitten was sleeping in her bag, unaware of the bumpy ride that just occurred. Then Ginny looked at Rosmerta, who was dressed in a very pretty dress and was wearing bright yellow heels. She grabbed a sparkling cloak from one of the empty tables and sent Ginny a wink.

"Ready to head out?" she asked the younger girl.

Ginny nodded and made her way to the door. As soon as she stepped outside the frosty air hit her. Reaching in her bag, careful to not disturb Crookshanks, Ginny pulled out a pair of gloves and a scarf. The walk to Hogwarts would be long after all. Rosmerta closed the door behind them and, with a wave of her wand, locked it. Ginny, who had been putting the scarf around her neck, jumped when Rosmerta gasped.

"Headmaster! What are you doing in Hogsmeade today?"

Looking up Ginny stumbled backwards when she saw Dumbledore in front of her. What _was_ he doing here? His eyes twinkled when he looked at Ginny.

"My dear Rosmerta, I was just going for a walk on this very cold day."

Rosmerta let out a giggle at that.

"Continue on your way, I know your family must want to see you very badly," Dumbledore told her. "I'll walk Miss Stiles to Hogwarts."

With an exchange of goodbyes, Rosmerta apparated. Ginny turned to Dumbledore, unsure of what to say. He didn't say anything right away either. With a wave of his wand her trunk disappeared and, with another wave, she felt suddenly a bit warmer.

"It's quite a random day for you to decide to come back to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "But, as I promised Madam Rosmerta, I will walk you back."

Ginny nodded gratefully and the pair began walking towards where Hogwarts was. Their silence didn't last long however.

"Aren't you suppose to be heading to the Potter's right now?"

Nervously, Ginny licked her lips.

"Arthur Weasley-"

"A very generous man, he is," Dumbledore interrupted. "How is his family?"

"They're doing fine," Ginny replied.

Ginny tried to get her thoughts together. Now that she was in Dumbledore's presence she realized she didn't know what to say. Why exactly had she come to see him? Because she was scared?

"Miss Stiles, my letter warned you of the dangers outside of Hogwarts." Dumbledore looked down at her. "But I don't want you to be fearful."

With a sigh, Ginny nodded.

"I think I have reason to be afraid, though, Professor," she answered. "The Ministry knows that I came back in time. Well, they may not know it was _me_ but they know it was someone. And the Ministry is corrupt so that must mean that Voldemort knows. Right?"

Dumbledore made a sound of agreement and brought a hand up to his beard.

"My dear, I'm sure Voldemort knew of your arrival before even the Ministry did."

"That's not comforting," she said with a laugh, which sounded a bit hysterical.

"He does not, however, know it was _you_ who traveled in time. As long as your secret stays between us, it shall be hard for him to discover this."

Remus flashed in Ginny's head but she tried not to think of him.

"How, sir?"

"I've set up some blockades." Dumbledore looked up at the sky as he talked. "They may not last long. Just long enough for you to enjoy the rest of your break and come back to the safety of Hogwarts."

Ginny wrapped her arms around herself.

"Won't he tell everyone once he figures it out?"

"Voldemort is not a stupid man," Dumbledore informed her. "He shall keep the secret to himself and, perhaps, some of his most trusted followers. For if it was well known you were from the future, he would not be the only one after you to get to your knowledge."

Once again, Ginny licked her lips. Whenever she was beginning to feel relaxed something always happened. Closing her eyes briefly Ginny wished she could be laying in a bed. She had a flashback of the night Sirius had found her outside Gryffindor tower. The way she felt that night as he held her was the feeling she craved now.

"What should I do?"

"Just as I told you, Miss Stiles. You don't have to worry about a thing. As long as you're with people you trust, you shouldn't fear anything. If I feel you should return to Hogwarts, I will come and get you myself."

Ginny felt relief at his words. Without knowing what she was doing, she reached over and hugged him. They stopped walking and Dumbledore, with his long arms, hugged her back.

"You are quite brave, my dear," Dumbledore told her.

She wanted to cry to him, as she always did. Her time spent with Dumbledore was precious, for when she returned to her time he would no longer be there.

"Thank you," she whispered.

They remained still until she finally felt strong enough to pull away. Slightly embarrassed, her cheeks burning a bit more red than the cold would have them, she pulled out her wand.

"How about, Miss Stiles, I apparate you to the Potter's, so you're safe."

Ginny smiled gratefully. Dumbledore took a hold of Ginny's shoulder and, within seconds, they landed in a completely different setting. They were in front of a large brick house. It must have snowed lightly earlier here for a light dusting of white covered the ground and house.

"I'll see you soon enough. Merry Christmas, Ginny," Dumbledore said.

"Merry Christmas, Professor."

Then, with a pop, Dumbledore was done. After a moment of regaining her composure Ginny walked towards the house. Sirius and James were inside the house in front of her. The sudden rush of excitement made her feel a bit sick. Reaching the door, she wasn't even able to knock before it opened.

"Ginny!"

Sirius, dressed in a navy sweater and a nice pair of pants, grabbed Ginny before she could breathe out a hello. Crookshanks hissed angrily from inside her bag when Sirius hugged Ginny to him. She let out a laugh, which sounded more like a sob, and hugged him back.

"Merry Christmas, love," he whispered into her ear.

Her body sagged against his and she tightened her hold of Sirius when he kissed her jaw. The moment was perfect. And Ginny felt safe, so safe, in Sirius' arms.

"Bloody hell, Padfoot, close the door! You're letting in a draft!"

And, just like that, the moment was ruined. Sirius pulled Ginny into the house and shut the door with a slam. Ginny, grinning from ear to ear, rushed forward to give James a hug. He was also dressed very nicely. James, with a hoot, spun Ginny around and kissed her cheek.

"I feel underdressed," Ginny told him, giggling.

"You look fine," James replied, his face full of color and happiness. "We just ate dinner. What took you so long? We were expecting you earlier than this."

Ginny couldn't stop smiling.

"I just had some trouble saying goodbye to the Weasleys," Ginny lied.

"Yes, well your trunk nearly ran me over when it appeared here," Sirius said.

Her eyebrows perked in interest, Ginny realized that's where Dumbledore sent her valuables.

"I'm just so happy- oomph!"

Ginny wasn't able to complete her sentence for Sirius, who had become impatient from the lack of her attention, came and threw her over his shoulder. She burst out into laugher, unable to help it, as he carried her up a set up stairs.

"We'll see you soon enough," Sirius told James. "I just would like to give a proper 'ello to this beauty."

James just shook his head in amusement and walked back into the room he had originally come from. Ginny, still giggling, began to slap Sirius' back. He pushed open a random door in a random hallway and tossed her onto a bed. Shutting the door behind him, Sirius made the motion of cracking his back.

"Gained a bit of weight, have you?"

Ginny gasped in mock anger and threw a pillow at him. He caught it, just as a Quidditch player should. Then he jumped onto the bed, enclosing her into a cage with his body. She continued to laugh as he kissed her from her neck up to her face. When it was finally time for him to kiss her on the lips, he stilled.

"I've missed you," Sirius confided to her.

"It's only been a few days," Ginny whispered as a response, though she had missed him too.

Sirius leaned down and brushed his lips against hers. Automatically she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. They didn't kiss often, for their relationship was still unnamed, but when they did kiss it gave Ginny butterflies. She positively melted whenever a kiss occurred.

Her back arched into him as he deepened the kiss and he pulled her close to him. Sirius finally pulled away after several minutes but didn't release his hold on her. He buried his face in her neck. The vulnerability he showed her randomly shocked her still.

"You look great," he told her. "Spending time with the Weasleys and Fabian and Gideon seems like it did you some good."

Ginny nodded in appreciation of his comment.

"They're a lovely family," she said.

Sirius lifted his face from her neck to look at her.

"Is this your room?" Ginny asked after a moment.

When Sirius nodded, Ginny took a look around. The walls were painted auburn but the room had a dark, warm look to it. The floors were a dark wood and posters of Quidditch stars hung on the walls. Sirius took Ginny's attention away from his room before kissing her again.

They were laying on the bed, just talking to each other, for at least half an hour. Sirius, at times, was standing on the bed and jumping up and down to depict a story he was telling her. She was a good listener, taking Sirius in as he spoke to her.

"Don't you think I should go say hello to James' parents?" Ginny questioned Sirius after a while.

He just shook his head.

"I let them know that they'd be seeing you in the morning. They seemed more amused then anything else."

Ginny grinned and leaned over to kiss Sirius. The rest of the night they talked, with an occasional snog session. When Ginny got hungry Sirius lead her through the house to get her food. Then they went back up to his room. It was like something had changed between them. The saying that distance makes the heart grow fonder seemed to be true in their case.

It was a perfect ending to a horrid day.

---

The next couple days Ginny and Sirius slept in. She had hoped the Potters didn't think it unwell that she slept in the same room with him but she just couldn't leave him when she would be hit with a sudden spell of tiredness. And she was pretty sure Sirius wouldn't have let her go either way. James' parents were very kind to Ginny when she had met them the day after she arrived. They asked how the Weasleys were and how her Christmas went.

The Potters were obviously a tight knit family, for most of the days were spent in their small library together. With a fire lit, they'd all sprawl around the library and enjoy chatting or reading. Sirius seemed to be one of the Potters' sons, for he fit in so easily. Ginny could only think of one equally great way to spend her days, which would be with her real family.

Finally, after three days, the rest of the guests arrived at the Potters house. After eating lunch one day, Ginny was surprised to see Remus casually walking into the library. She gave a shriek of joy and rushed to hug him.

"How are you? Happy Christmas!" she cried out.

Remus grinned tiredly in response and was soon engulfed in a hug by Sirius, then James. Edward and Aurora, James' parents, greeted Remus the same way.

Lily arrived less than an hour later, seeming awkward and unsteady as she walked into the Potter house. James greeted her with a soft kiss on the cheek, which caused her face to flush. When she spotted Ginny, a look of relief passed over her face. Peter wasn't too long to follow. It was like they were all back at Hogwarts.

After having tea, Edward and Aurora opted to leave the teenagers to themselves in the library. Crookshanks, never liking to be away from Ginny for too long, was curled at her feet on the couch.

"New Years ball?" Lily asked, surprised.

James nodded.

"Yeah. It's for Ministry workers and has been going on since I can remember. We go every year, my family helps host it. I end up bringing my friends along to it," James told her.

"I don't have a dress for that," Ginny said.

James raised his eyebrows.

"Just wear that, Ginny, you'll look great!"

Ginny, who was currently wearing a pair of baggy pajama pants, narrowed her eyes at James. Sirius snickered beside her.

"Neither do I," Lily said in agreement to Ginny. "Why wouldn't you tell us that?"

James was smirking.

"Well, we're not actually allowed to attend the ball. The other year we all got rather smashed and since then my parents have been too embarrassed to let us out."

"Last year Sirius danced rather inappropriately with some older women," Remus said, trying to hold back his laughter.

Ginny looked at Sirius with raised eyebrows, which he shrugged sheepishly at.

At Ginny's look to Sirius, Remus' attempt to not laugh failed. Within minutes all the Marauders were doubled over in laughter. Ginny, amused at the sight, began giggling also. After a few moments, Sirius sobered up enough to speak.

"It's great, though, 'cause James' parents now just give us a couple bottles of Firewhiskey and leave us locked in a room away from the ballroom."

"So that's what we'll be doing for New Years?" Lily asked skeptically. "Locked in a room with alcohol? What a way to ring in the year."

Sirius came up behind Lily and began rubbing her shoulders.

"Don't worry, dear Lily," he began. "Just look at it this way… you'll be locked in a room with four very handsome boys and one particularly spunky girl with a ton of liquor. I'd say we're all going to have a great time."

---

The days leading up to the ball were filled with mischievous activities, which distracted Ginny from any thoughts of time traveling and Voldemort. Halfway through the second day after Remus, Lily and Peter arrived, the boys declared a prank war. Edward and Aurora hardly paid attention to the exploding dungbombs during dinner or the random traps they'd get caught in.

It was exhausting but fun. Even Lily was having fun taking part in it. At one point dessert after dinner turned into a war of boys against girls. Both sides ended up sticky and covered in chocolate.

"I declare the girls the winners!" Ginny shouted which caused Remus to throw a piece of cake at her.

The cake hit her in the shoulder and she slipped on the dessert-covered floor. She landed on her bum with a loud 'oh!', which caused triumphant laughter from the boys. Sirius, who had fallen earlier onto the floor and decided not to get up, crawled over to her. He licked some icing off her ear, causing shivers to run up and down her spine.

"I'll help clean you up, you messy girl," he whispered with a devilish smile.

---

New Years Eve came too soon. After Aurora and Edward used a Portkey to transport everyone to the ballroom, they led the teenagers up a set of grand stairs. Apparently Aurora and Edward, since they helped host the ball, were able to access any rooms they pleased. They selected a room far away from the ballroom, where the teenagers could stay until the ball was done. Ginny was in awe at the room she was in.

It was very large and seemed to shine gold. Ginny had no clue where they were, where this ballroom was, and she briefly wondered why she didn't know of this beautiful building. The room was extraordinary though, furnished with many couches and several beds, in case the teenagers passed out. In the center of the room there was a large table where there were a couple of bottles of Firewhiskey and wine.

"I trust you to not run out of the room, drunk, into the ballroom," Aurora said to the group in front of her. "I'm leaving the door unlocked incase something happens. If you need us, James, you'll know where we are."

James nodded, a large grin on his face.

"We're serious," Edward sternly said.

"I'm Sirius!" Sirius responded.

Ginny rolled her eyes but laughed at his pathetic joke anyway. Aurora sighed before coming over and saying goodbye to each teenager. James and Sirius got kisses on the cheeks, Remus and Peter got hugs full of warmth and Lily and Ginny received hugs and whispers of 'good luck'.

Once the adults left, the teenagers all sprawled out on the furniture around the table. Sirius, Ginny and Remus sat next to each other on one large couch. Lily, James and Peter were on the other side.

"Well let's take a shot to friendship, eh?" Lily said, sounding unlike herself.

"Cheers to that!" James and Sirius said together.

And so it began. Ginny grabbed a shot glass and glanced to Sirius.

"Ever had Firewhiskey before?" Remus began filling Sirius', Ginny's and his own glass with the Firewhiskey.

"Yes," Ginny said, narrowing her eyes. "I'm not a little girl."

Sirius yelled to Lily. Lily looked at him curiously as James poured her a shot.

"Ever had Firewhiskey before, Miss Evans?" he asked.

"No. Is it bad?" Lily questioned cautiously, her sudden enthusiasm to drink gone.

Sirius grinned.

"Not at all, it's just lovely. But Ginny here called you a little girl."

Ginny gasped at Sirius' way of putting words in her mouth. Sirius snorted with laughter.

"Are we ready, mates?" Remus raised his shot glass.

Everyone leaned in and tapped each other's glasses. Firewhiskey spilled on everyone's hands from the tapping of the glasses and Ginny swore it made her skin tingle a bit.

"Cheers!"

Assorted yells were heard before everyone took the first shot. It burned down Ginny's throat and cleared her airways. She coughed a bit, her eyes watering, but that was the worst of it. Lily, who never drank Firewhiskey before, made it seem as she was drinking water. After everyone got over the first initial shot, Peter began pouring everyone another shot.

"Are you ready for this night, love?" Sirius whispered in her ear.

She tilted her head back to look at him properly.

"Don't have a choice, do I?"

---

It was almost eleven thirty. After the first two shots, the group slowed down in order to enjoy each other's company and, also, so that they wouldn't be getting sick before the New Year came. That didn't mean, however, that they weren't drunk. Ginny was currently lying on the floor, out of sight from her friends. After her and Sirius had the pleasure of jumping on a bed they both fell off of it. Her head hurt.

This was surreal. Who would have ever thought that Ginny would be celebrating the New Year with the Marauders? Rather, who would have thought she'd be celebrating the new year of 1978?

Sirius flicked a piece of hair out of her face, catching her attention.

"What are you thinking of?" His speech was a little slow but did not sound drunk.

Ginny had come to realize that, no matter what, Sirius always had the appearance of being collected and handsome. She stared into his gray eyes.

"Let's get out of here," she whispered. "Even if it's only for a few minutes."

He grinned and agreed. Standing up, he took a hold of her hand and pulled her to him. She stumbled into his chest and they both began chuckling under their breath. Ginny looked across the room. James, Lily and Peter were all dancing to some song Ginny couldn't make out. Lily had found some device to listen to music. It was too old school for Ginny to be able to think of what it was at the moment.

Remus, ever weak because of the approaching full moon tomorrow night, was lying on a bed on the other side of the room. Sirius had told Ginny that Remus rarely got drunk because the wolf inside him was too powerful to be affected by the liquor.

No one noticed when Sirius and Ginny snuck out of the room. The degree in temperature changed quickly when they entered the hallway. It was much cooler, perhaps because of the open window at the end of the hall, but it felt good on Ginny's flushed skin.

"It feels so much better out here!" Ginny said, spinning around.

She closed her eyes in order to take in the feeling.

"My love, my love," Sirius muttered from behind her.

She turned slightly, smiling. Briefly she wondered how much of a mess she looked. Sirius didn't seem to mind, however. He closed the distance between them with three steps and grabbed her face with his hands. For a moment, he stared at her, taking her in. There was something in his expression that was different, so beautiful, and she wondered if alcohol always did this to him. Then he kissed her. The kiss was slightly drunken, slightly sloppy, but it had passion behind it. Ginny stumbled a bit and Sirius used one of his arms to keep her still.

She kissed his lips, his full lips, and couldn't think. This was right, this was so right. Her body tingled and suddenly she was back against the wall of the hallway. The mixture of alcohol and her desire for Sirius made her pull him as close as possible. Both their hands were roaming, touching the bare skin of the other person.

A moan escaped her mouth when he ran his fingers along her spine. Then he grabbed onto her hips, the pressure of his fingers hard. But she liked it and wanted him even closer.

"Ginny," he whispered into her skin once his mouth left hers.

Sirius pressed a hot kiss to her neck.

"I love you," he told her.

Ginny let out a breathy laugh, almost unable to concentrate on his words as he pressed another kiss to her neck.

"You're drunk," Ginny responded.

He looked up at her and his eyes were dark. Not dark with hate, though, dark with passion.

"That is true," Sirius agreed and they both began laughing a bit.

When they stopped laughing, Sirius kissed her right below the ear.

"But, no matter what, at this moment… even though I'm drunk… I love you."

Ginny's heart was beating so fast, so fast. She was a bit drunk, true, and he was drunk, yes, but that didn't make this moment any less real. The feeling of shock and happiness and fear hit her but she wasn't scared of him. She was just scared of the words because they meant something real and true. But her initial response she couldn't help.

A small smile came to her lips and, when Sirius saw that, he smiled back.

It was a loud bang that startled Ginny and Sirius out of their moment. Their heads snapped towards the end of the hallway, where they knew the staircase was. The bang came from that direction. Did something happen in the ballroom?

Without pausing to think, Ginny and Sirius began towards the end of the hallway. They didn't run for a sudden fear gripped them. The building had shaken with the bang. But there were no screams of fear. Ginny and Sirius could hear nothing. With their wands out in front of them, they reached the end of the hallway.

It was mass chaos. A fire had broken out and there _were_ screams but a spell on the hallway must have made that area silenced. The fire was huge and black clouds were beginning to rise from it. People were panicking and no one was trying to put out the fire. All the people below them had their wands drawn and random flashes of spells were seen. Something was wrong.

"Ginny, please-"

Whatever Sirius' request was going to be was silenced when there was another blast. Ginny and Sirius fell from the force of it, landing on the floor. Screams of horror were echoing in the large building.

"Sirius! Ginny!"

The smoke was beginning to fill the hallway but Ginny could see the form of someone running towards them. Remus, the only sober person in the group, slid down next to the two of them.

"Fire," Sirius said, pointing. "Something is going on down there!"

"We have to get out of here," Remus responded, out of breath.

Sirius agreed and they attempted to stand when another blast occurred. Ginny watched in horror as the staircase began to collapse. The fire was spreading and it was becoming hard to see. However she could hear people rushing to get out of the building, yelling as they were trying to find loved ones.

"There's a window at the end of the hall," Remus shouted. "We _have_ to go!"

The three stood but before they could begin to leave the area Ginny noticed, through the smoke, something… or someone rather. Fear grabbed her and she stared at the floor below them. Dumbledore was here. As if feeling her stare his head instantly turned to her. His eyes were burning bright and he yelled to her.

It was as though there wasn't a great distance between them. His yell was so loud that she could hear it through the cracking of the tumbling building, through the blazing fire and the thick smoke.

"Run!"

Dumbledore was here. He had promised he'd come and get her if something was wrong. He promised he'd come get her if Voldemort knew who she was.

The three teenagers bolted, as if the fire was chasing them. James, Lily and Peter were already at the window, waiting. Ginny grabbed hold of Sirius' hand as to not lose him.

"What's going on?" Lily asked, staring at the group. "Where is the fire from?"

"I don't know but we have to get out of here," Remus anxiously said.

"The building is collapsing from underneath us," Sirius told them quickly. "We have to jump from the window."

"We'll break our legs!" Peter shouted over the loud noise.

"We'll die in here if we don't!" James yelled.

The sound of something collapsing behind them motivated the group to go to the window. Remus pulled out his wand and pointed it to the ground. He muttered an incantation that Ginny didn't hear and then he grabbed a hold of her arm.

"You first, Ginny," he said.

His eyes had a knowing look.

She nodded and climbed into the frame of the window. With a small push from Remus she fell two stories down and landed softly, surprisingly, on the ground. Within a second she heard a scream and Lily landed next to her. Both girls rushed away from the spot. Less then a minute later, Peter fell from the window.

Ginny stared in shock at the once beautiful building. It was consumed in smoke and flames were coming from every window. Almost like a pretty picture, it was snowing.

And Deatheaters… Deatheaters were the ones who caused this.

"We need to leave," Ginny told Lily.

Ginny felt completely sober now, though she was sure she wasn't. And, looking at Lily, she saw that despite the fact that the girl was now more aware of her surroundings she was still drunk. If they Apparated, they could splinch themselves. If they stayed, they could get killed.

It was just as Remus fell from the window that everything changed. Someone had taken advantage of the fact that Lily and Ginny were mesmerized by the burning building and had grabbed Lily from behind. Ginny screamed, pointing her wand at the person but was stopped when she felt a wand tip digging into her back. Deatheaters had appeared, though Ginny wasn't sure from where.

The Deatheater behind Ginny grabbed her by her hair and forced her onto her knees. Peter pulled out his wand but it shook from fear and… more Deatheaters were coming. They had to act. Remus, who just noticed what was going on from Ginny's scream, whipped out his wand and shouted a spell.

Behind her the Deatheater stiffened, releasing his hold on her. Ginny took the opportunity to rush towards the Deatheater holding Lily.

"Confringo!" Ginny yelled.

The spell hit the tree behind the Deatheater, causing it to tumble towards Lily and him. The Deatheater released Lily to jump out of the way of the tumbling tree and Lily ran to Ginny. Both girls caught each other running and fell onto the ground.

The tree missed them barely.

"Conjunctivitis!" Lily shouted from the ground at a Deatheater who was preparing to duel with poor Peter.

Ginny jumped to her feet and just managed to dodge a spell. All around her Deatheaters seemed to be appearing. Some were amused, just watching the teenagers attempt to defend themselves. It as mass chaos, too much for her drunken mind and body to take in. And, suddenly, Ginny realized what she had to do.

She ran. She ran away from the fighting, away from her almost defenseless friends.

For the first time since the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny was acting on fear. Her secrets could kill thousands and Voldemort could easily find out the future from her. Behind the large burning building there were streets, lined with houses. People were beginning to exit their houses in order to see what was going on, what was burning. If she could just get to those people!

It was snowing a bit harder now as she raced away. What was she doing? Fear was being to paralyze her. All she knew was she was leaving behind her friends to try to save them. But someone must have spied her for she was almost hit by a curse. The curse burned the ground next to her and she stumbled to the left to try to get away from it. She had to get away. She had to get away-

And she was falling.

But a curse didn't hit her. It was just a patch of ice she accidentally found and it caught her weak ankle. The same ankle that she had broken in the Department of Mysteries she felt crack from under her and she screamed in pain. Her knees hit the ice and suddenly she was completely on the ground. Ginny looked behind her in fear and saw two Deatheaters, cloaked and unrecognizable, almost to her.

They were chasing her. They knew who she was, of their master's desire for her to be caught and imprisoned.

And she was on the ground with her ankle sending shooting pain up her leg. Ginny tried to push herself up but couldn't. Within seconds the Deatheaters reached her. Neither of them cursed her or tried to Stupefy her, though. He just grabbed her wand out of her hand and tossed it behind him. Ginny watched with helpless eyes as it sunk in the snow.

When the Deatheater grabbed her arm she screamed and pulled away. His grip tightened, though, and he yanked her to her feet. The pressure she put on her ankle caused her leg to crumble and she cried out, trying to push away from the Deatheater again.

"Leave before something goes wrong," the other Deatheater said from Ginny's right, his voice hurried and slightly recognizable.

Where was Dumbledore? Shouldn't he be saving her?

A wave of dizziness hit Ginny but she continued to struggle. The Deatheater holding her nodded in agreement, becoming annoyed with Ginny's attempt to get away. But just as the Deatheater was Appariting away someone jumped onto them.

The air around them was rapidly changing and Ginny felt sick. Someone was tugging onto her and the Deatheater's grip on her arm was all she felt and there was no ground beneath her and nothing all around her. Suddenly she saw eyes, two brown eyes that were familiar to her, and there was a shout as the hand that held her arm let her go. And suddenly she was falling, holding onto the person with brown eyes…

---

She was cold and in pain. Opening her eyes, Ginny saw white. Her eyes adjusted to the area around her and she gasped in surprise. Sitting up, Ginny winced when pain shot through her leg. She ignored it, though, as she looked around.

Trees surrounded Ginny. She was in some sort of forest, though she had no idea where. Ginny looked around before spotting a body not too far away from her. Determined to stand, Ginny used a tree to help her up before hopping over to the body.

The person was face down in the snow and didn't seem to be breathing. Ginny cried out and fell down next to him, rolling him over.

"Remus? Remus, please wake up, please!" She shook his body before rubbing her hands on his cold face.

After a few very long minutes Remus' eyes opened. He blinked a couple of times, clearly confused, before looking at Ginny.

"I saved you?" he asked.

Ginny let out a hysterical laugh and nodded. She helped him sit up.

"Are you okay? Are all your body parts here? We could have been splinched, so badly," Ginny rambled.

Remus weakly patted his body to check that everything was in place.

"We're lucky," he croaked out.

"I don't know how lucky we are," Ginny muttered. "I don't know where we are."

The brown eyed boy looked around the forest. There seemed to be no life at all. Then again, it was in the middle of the night that they were trying to look around.

"Do you have your wand?" Remus questioned.

"The Deatheater threw it away from me," Ginny responded. "You?"

Remus shook his head. He was quiet for a long time and his breathing was heavy. It was as if he just realized something.

"Ginny, this isn't good. I shouldn't have done this. You're in just as much danger now as you were before."

Ginny shrugged before glancing at her ankle. It was already swollen and beginning to bruise.

"I think we can survive the forest for a bit. My ankle might be troublesome though."

Remus just shook his head and looked at Ginny with a sorrowful expression.

"You need to get far away from me, Ginny. The full moon is tomorrow night… and if we're still stuck here, in this forest where there is no shelter for you… Ginny… I'm going to transform tomorrow night."

----------------

Author's Note: Dun, dun, dun. Review please, let me know what you think.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Nineteen_

_Unexpected Kindness_

"The attack at the Ministry ball is not anyone's fault but those corrupt who informed the Deatheaters of its location. Because of it there are four very great wizards dead and their loss will forever be felt."

Dumbledore looked somberly at the group of witches and wizards before him. It was less then ten hours after the attack at the ball. Ten hours that Ginny Stiles and Remus Lupin had been missing. Ginny's mind was going to be searched, her body tortured, her soul ripped open…

"It is of most importance that we retrieve those stolen from us who are still alive. We must not leave any prisoners at the mercy of the Deatheaters."

There was a general nod of agreement from the newly formed Order of Phoenix.

"It is of most importance that we retrieve Remus Lupin… and Ginny Stiles."

---

The sun was now out and Ginny and Remus were exhausted. There was still no sign of life in the forest despite the fact that morning had come. The only sets of footprints in the snow were from the two teenagers. Remus, who was normally so strong, was getting weaker as night approached and he got closer to his transformation.

"This isn't going to work, Ginny," he told her, for the fifth time.

Ginny rolled her eyes, keeping a hold of Remus' arm as they trudged through the snow.

"Stop being so pessimistic," she replied sweetly.

Remus groaned a bit.

"Stop being so damn stubborn! Ginny, you _have_ to get away from me."

"And where am I going to run to with my sprained ankle?"

It had been almost ten hours, or so Ginny guessed, since Remus and Ginny landed in the forest. And her ankle, so tender, was purple, black, and swollen. She could hardly walk through the snow with it.

"You stay here and I'll run from you so that there's distance between us," Remus tried, his eyes desperate as they stopped walking.

Ginny slumped against a tree, exhausted. They both had a bit of a hangover from the night before and had no sleep yet. She was in pain and he was losing his strength by the minute.

"You'll pass out in about ten minutes if you try to run away from me," Ginny said, laughing. "And I won't let you leave me anyway. What would happen to you when you wake up tomorrow morning all bloody and bruised by yourself in an empty forest? And how will I be able to find you again?"

"It doesn't matter, Ginny! I will kill you in my wolf form!"

His shout rang in the quiet forest and he collapsed next to Ginny. Remus' hands were shaking and he looked on the verge of tears. Ginny felt her heart ache and grabbed his one hand. It was cold but she hardly noticed for her hands were numb as well.

"I will not leave you because I know you wouldn't leave me. We'll find a way, I'm sure."

"Why are you so stubborn, damn it," Remus muttered.

Ginny sighed in response and wrapped her arms around Remus' body.

"How about we nap for now… then we'll have a bit of strength when it is nighttime."

Remus hesitated before nodding in agreement, pulling Ginny closer to him. There was no doubt they were both exhausted. And despite walking for so long they seemed to be gaining no ground.

Ginny put her head on Remus' shoulder and allowed her eyes to flutter shut. Their clothes were thin and damp. They hadn't dressed to be outside, they had dressed to be comfortable the night before. Neither of them wore a cloak or anything else that could keep them warm. All they had was body heat.

Ginny tried to clear her mind of the cold. The sun was out and it was shining through the branches of the trees. Soon it would be midday, when the sun was at its best, and hopefully they would warm up a bit. She breathed in deeply, filling her lungs with frosty air, and had a flash of Sirius' face during the fire.

Sirius had been terrified of her being hurt. She could only imagine how he felt now that he believed Deatheaters had captured her. And he had said he loved her. The thought caused Ginny to smile, for her stomach to clench in excitement. He had been drunk but he had said it.

The feeling in her body was magical and she felt her face becoming warm despite the temperature around her. Her whole life seemed like madness now but Sirius had said the three words that made everything seem so clear. After all, Harry had never said it-

Ginny's eyes opened in surprise at her thoughts. Once again, she had forgotten about Harry. The boy who loved her and whom she loved she had forgotten about. A sinking feeling took over Ginny.

"Stop thinking whatever you're thinking," Remus told her sharply, his eyes closed.

She looked up at him in shock.

"You're thinking about something bad and nothing, right now, could be worse than the fact that we're stuck in a forest together wearing barely anything."

A bit of laughter tingled in her throat and she nodded in agreement. Her thoughts about Harry could wait, despite the fact that she couldn't think of Sirius now without thinking of Harry.

"How'd you know I was thinking about something bad?" she asked.

"You're body got all tense," he replied.

They were quiet for a few minutes and Ginny snuggled as close as she could to her friend.

"Remus?" Ginny whispered his name, wondering if he already fell asleep.

His grip on her body tightened.

"Thank you for keeping my secret," she told him.

"You've kept my secret too," he responded. "Even if my secret might kill you tonight."

Ginny ignored Remus' last comment and closed her eyes again. A breeze went through the forest and she shivered. It was time for a bit of sleep.

_She woke up the sound of moaning- a painful moaning. It was loud enough to startle her out of her sleep. Sitting up in her bed, Ginny glanced around the bedroom. It was dark in the room with the exception of one candle lit on the dresser. Everything was quiet as her wide eyes looked around the room for any sign of life. Hermione was quietly sleeping in the bed next to Ginny, unaware of any strange sounds._

_Perhaps she had been dreaming?_

_Just as Ginny began to shift back under her covers the moaning began again. Ginny shot up in bed, her heart beating fast. What was that? Just being in Grimmauld Place put a fear in Ginny, but when hearing strange moaning Ginny was near panic.._

_Placing her feet on the cold ground, Ginny looked out the window. It was still dark outside meaning she could have only been asleep for a few hours. She crept around the room, hearing the moaning but not sure where it was coming from. It took only a few minutes for Ginny to realize the moaning was not inside her room but outside of it._

_Ginny rushed back to her bed, grabbing her wand from under her pillow, before creeping towards the door to the hallway. It was the only way in and out of the bedroom. Pressing her ear against the door, Ginny realized it wasn't only moaning… it was someone speaking and crying._

_Her fear disappeared and Ginny opened the door, stopping short as soon as she did. Sitting in the hallway was Sirius. His eyes were rimmed with red and his face was pain. He looked up at her and his composure broke even more._

"_Ginny," he moaned her name and she rushed towards him._

"_Sirius?" she whispered back._

_Sirius didn't say anything. He just stared at her._

"_What is this?" Ginny grabbed a bottle from his hands, surprised that it was empty. "You've been drinking a bit, haven't you?"_

_Ginny huffed out a breath. What was she to do? If she woke up Hermione, she would be embarrassing Sirius even further in the morning when he realized the two young girls had seen him drunk._

"_Mum would kill you if she found you like this," she told him, squatting down to grab his arms. "I'll take you to your room, okay?"_

_With a huge heave, she pulled him up and he stumbled into her, slamming her back into the wall. She winced from his heavy weight._

"_I need some of your help too, Sirius," Ginny managed to gasp out._

_Sirius pushed himself off of her but stumbled to the other side of the hallway because of his lack of balance. His legs crumbled from underneath him and he fell back into his spot on the floor._

"_Just say yes, Ginny," he croaked._

_Ginny looked at the man, confused. She didn't know Sirius well but knew him well enough to know it was the alcohol speaking._

"_Why'd you say no?" he moaned, his eyes becoming wet. "Please, please, just say yes."_

_She stood above him, utterly lost as to what to do._

"_Say yes, just say yes, please. That's all I wanted, it's all I needed-"_

_Her heart strings tightened a bit at the sight. Sirius, the godfather to a boy she adored, was almost sobbing to her about something she didn't know of._

"_Sirius, you're speaking madness right now!" Ginny hissed. "And you're going to wake someone up."_

_Sirius just shook his head._

"_Promise me, Ginny," he managed to grab her hand, tugging her down to his level._

_Her face was in front of his and she could smell the liquor on his breath._

"_Promise me you'll say yes."_

_Ginny was quiet, her heart stilled by the utter destruction in this man's eyes. What was he talking about? Did she even want to know? But if she could help him feel more at peace perhaps she could make a drunken promise…_

"_I promise I'll say yes, Sirius," she whispered._

"_What is going on here?"_

_Ginny jumped up in surprise as her father, dressed in his bed robes, came down the hallway._

"_Ginny? Why are you awake- Sirius?"_

_Her father, balding and tired, shook his head and motioned for her to go back into her bedroom. She did but not after glancing at Sirius, who was staring after her with soft eyes. Her father grabbed Sirius' arms in a similar way to how she did but he managed to control Sirius' weight when the drunk man stood. Ginny closed her bedroom door and walked back to bed._

_Hermione was still sleeping, unaware of the odd events that just happened. Crawling into the bed, Ginny laid down, quite exhausted. Her eyes shut and everything went black. _

Ginny opened her eyes to see the white of the snow. She was shivering and she was… alone. With a gasp of surprise, Ginny rushed to stand up. Where was Remus- a cry of pain left her lips when she leaned on her swollen ankle, having forgotten about it. She leaned against the tree, her eyes fearful as she looked around the forest.

Remus was nowhere to be found.

Ginny began to panic, turning her head in every direction she could. Remus had left her while she was sleeping so he wouldn't transform around her.

"Remus!" she screamed as loud as she could. Nothing stirred in the forest.

She felt herself overreacting, probably from the cold, but she couldn't help it.

"Remus!" she yelled again, looking around wildly.

Then she heard it.

"Ginny!"

It came from nearby. Ginny twisted her body around to see a form rushing to her in the distance. It was Remus.

She sagged against the tree in relief as Remus got closer to her. He didn't leave her, he was still here.

"Is everything okay?" Remus gasped as he got closer.

Ginny nodded and limped to him, wrapping her arms around him in relief.

"I thought you left me," she whispered.

"No, no I didn't… I was going to," he replied honestly. "But I couldn't."

Again, Ginny nodded and leaned out of the embrace. Remus looked horrible. His skin was deathly pale and his lips were becoming a light shade of purple. She knew she couldn't look any better.

The sun was beginning to set. They had slept for hours, soaking in the slight sunlight they received. But now the night was coming.

"I was searching for food, so we'd have more energy," Remus told her. "It didn't work."

Ginny gave him a tight smile.

"There is a lake nearby, though," Remus continued. "And I have a plan, sort of."

The pair began towards where the lake was. They walked only about fifteen minutes, both trudging slowly through the snow, when they arrived. The lake was frozen and covered with snow. Remus looked to Ginny.

"The ice is thick and stable. I want you to go on it."

Ginny blinked owlishly at Remus.

"Why?"

He sighed.

"The weight of the werewolf will crack the ice. I'm hoping, as the werewolf, if I see you're on the ice I won't go after you… I'll find something else to distract myself with."

Ginny stared at Remus. It sounded like the most unsafe, stupidest plan in the world… but it was their only choice. Remus would be transforming soon and Ginny would be right by his side, as his first meal of the night, if they didn't devise some plan.

"Okay."

---

She was sitting in the middle of the frozen lake, her arms wrapped around herself. Remus had given her his clothes. He had told her that once he began to transform all his clothes would rip and tear and would be useless when he was a boy again. The extra warmth helped Ginny keep her thoughts straight

Remus was in the distance, the moonlight coloring his naked body. Ginny shivered, knowing how cold Remus was. It would be any minute now…

And Ginny was right. After a few seconds, as the moonlight engulfed Remus' body completely, the boy fell to the ground. She could hear him yelling, screaming, in pain. She fought the urge to run to him. It would do no good for her to get killed.

Soon Remus was no longer Remus. Ginny had watched as his skin stretched unnaturally, trying to fit large bones in his small body. Fur had quickly grown over his entire body. His face had lengthened, his fingers turning into paws. There was a wolf in the place of Remus, a huge werewolf that Ginny never imagined seeing in her lifetime. The moonlight still shined on the werewolf and Ginny watched from the distance as the wolf shook the snow off its fur. Her breath got caught in her throat as the werewolf immediately turned its head to Ginny.

There was distance between them and an ice lake between them but it could still smell her fear, her blood, her skin. Ginny watched with wide eyes as the wolf rushed toward her on land until he was directly in front of her. It snapped its jaws at her and she leaned back a bit. She had no where to go, she could only stay on the lake.

This werewolf, with the foaming mouth and sharp teeth, was her dear friend. The shock of it was overwhelming.

The werewolf began towards her on the ice and got a good distance before a loud crack was heard. Ginny jumped up in surprise. The werewolf kept his eyes on her but had stilled. He was on the ice but knew not to go any further. When another loud crack was heard, closer to Ginny, the werewolf began to tenderly step back. Remus was right. The weight of the werewolf was too much for the ice.

Ginny was safe from the monster that was one of her best friends… for now.

---

She could feel the ice underneath her but she couldn't feel anything else. Her body was numb and still. Ginny slowly opened her eyes and felt the energy that simple movement took from her. She was freezing, too cold to move, and too cold to react when she saw a shape creeping towards her on the ice.

Ginny hadn't realized she had fallen asleep. It was just that she was too tired to stay awake. Her body was too weak.

The shape continued towards her.

The area around her was lit by the rising sun. Though the moon was still out, it was beginning to disappear. Ginny remained still on the ground.

How long had she been asleep? And how could she let herself lose sight of Remus? Stupid, stupid.

And that's when she began to realize what the shape was. It was the werewolf. Big, with gray fur that shined with drops of water, the creature was coming towards her on the ice lake. The werewolf must have decided that it would risk the ice to get to the only meal it could find.

Ginny didn't react, she couldn't react, as the werewolf preyed on her.

Sirius would be devastated if he knew her situation right now. Ginny's breath hitched as she looked at the creature.

The werewolf snarled as her as it got closer. When it was close enough that she could smell its sweat, could feel its breath, Ginny closed her eyes. She was going to die on this frozen lake from the monster that's her best friend.

"Remus," she croaked, her throat tight and dry. "Remus?"

But the werewolf didn't understand who she was calling for. It didn't care. He jumped, ready to feast on her, when the first beam of sunlight struck its body. It cried out, as if the sun burnt it, and fell onto the ice next to her. A loud crack was heard and Ginny began to try to move. Was she wiggling her toes right now? She couldn't tell.

As she continued to try to move the werewolf began to contort before her eyes. The whimpers from the werewolf became screams of a man. The sunlight caused the werewolf to change. Ginny's arms collapsed from under her and she fell back onto the ice. She continued to watch the horrible sight before her.

Fur was disappearing, skin tearing, blood splattering onto the ice. And soon there was a badly hurt boy in front of her.

"Remus," she whispered, a small smile coming to her lips.

Remus didn't seem to be able to move. He was naked, breathing heavily, and looking at her with wide eyes.

"Ginny," he said back. "You're okay?"

Remus was losing strength before her very eyes. He looked as though he was melting on the ice and seemed only to be able to stay awake until he got her answer.

"We're going to die out here, Remus," Ginny muttered.

She reached out her hand and grabbed his. A cold wind swept across the lake and Ginny closed her eyes.

---

"Stupid girl."

The curse was loud enough to wake Ginny from her sleep. Everything was dark and Ginny blinked to adjust her eyes to it. A figure was cursing before they whispered a spell, causing a huge fire to erupt.

Ginny gasped, sitting up. Everything spun for a second.

"You're awake?"

The person walked over to her, the firelight giving Ginny a chance to see who it was, and her mouth dropped open in surprise.

"Snape?"

Snape stood in front of her, dressed in black robes and looking furious. Ginny quickly looked around, confused. She was in a room, laying on a bed, and she spotted Remus' form on the floor by the fireplace.

"What- what is going on?" she questioned, her throat to dry.

Snape raised his eyebrows, sneering, and walked away from her. She gave a small cry, reaching out for him to not leave her confused, and he looked at her angrily.

"Give me a second, Stiles, I'm getting you water."

He left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him. Ginny rushed out of bed. Her body was still weak, though, and she fell to the floor. The pain didn't stop her from crawling to Remus' sleeping form. He was covered by a single blanket, one that was torn and dirty. Ginny reached behind her, grabbing the blanket she slept with, and put it on Remus.

He was alive, he was breathing, but he looked horrible.

The door opened and Snape came back into the room. His sneer grew when he saw the blanket on Remus. He thrust the goblet of water that he held at Ginny, not bothering to say anything. She drank it without thinking, so dehydrated she felt she could drink forever.

"Snape… Severus," Ginny whispered after a few moments, watching as he leaned against the wall. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Snape remained quiet for a minute before deciding to speak.

"You triggered the alarms of my house and a house elf went to find out who the intruder was."

Ginny, confused, simply stared at Snape.

"I was on a lake, though," she told him.

Snape shrugged.

"The house elf found you and Lupin in the snow outside my house. Of course you wouldn't know that my house was there because of the charms my father had put on the building… You must have dragged Lupin to my house."

"I don't remember-"

"You were almost dead, Stiles," Snape snapped. "You wouldn't remember much now, would you?"

Ginny remained quiet.

Snape had saved her and Remus. It was an act of kindness Ginny would have never expected. She went to stand, using the side of the bed as support, and her swollen ankle almost collapsed from under her.

Snape noticed her grimace of pain but didn't care.

"Thank you."

"I want you gone by nightfall," Snape said.

"Where are we?" Ginny asked.

"Doesn't matter," he answered. "You can use Floo to get back to… wherever."

Ginny nodded. Her eyes went to Remus' weak form.

"Thank you again."

Snape ignored her thanks and opened the bedroom door. He took a glance up and down the hallway before looking to Ginny.

"Come with me," he ordered.

"My ankle, though-"

It would hurt her terribly to continue walking on it. Ginny bit her lip as Snape, once again, sneered at her. He made it seem like he was in the most awkward situation possible because he had just saved her life, and Remus'.

Ginny slowly followed him. Her legs ached and her body screamed every time she went to move. When she reached the hallway she raised her eyebrows in surprise. The house was dark, reminding Ginny of Grimmauld Place, and she felt herself beginning to step backwards into the bedroom.

"Come with me," Snape snapped again. "I'll get you and Lupin clothes."

Ginny followed him when he began to walk. Her limp kept her slow with walking though. The house was quiet and eerie. This was Snape's house? This was where he lived when he wasn't at Hogwarts? No wonder he liked the dungeons so much.

"Remus and I will be forever grateful-" Ginny began to say, after the silence became overbearing.

Her body was still in shock from the torture it had gone through but her mind was beginning to process things faster.

"I don't want his thanks. I was tempted to leave him outside if it wouldn't have been considered murder on my end," Snape spat out.

His words caused Ginny to frown but she opted to ignore them. They walked for a second before Snape stilled. He used his hand to stop Ginny also and her ears perked to listen in the silence. A door had opened and shut somewhere in the house.

"Father," Snape whispered.

There was fear in his voice, something Ginny never heard before.

"Don't leave this room."

In a movement faster than Ginny could comprehend, Snape had grabbed her arm and shoved her into a room she hadn't seen. She stumbled and fell onto the floor, her ankle twisting and causing her to cry out in pain. The door shut with a soft snap and then footsteps walked away from the room. Ginny didn't move for a second, her hands clutching her ankle as she tried to regain her composure. The room was darker than the hallway and Ginny tried to remain calm.

She stood up shakily and, as she did, the candles on the wall lit. Her ankle was sending shooting pains up her leg and she was beginning to feel nauseous. Trying to distract herself from her feeling of sickness, Ginny glanced around the now lit room. The lights weren't that bright and she was sure no one could see that the room was lit from the hallway. But it did allow Ginny to see what was in the room.

Books.

They were dusty and piled on tables. The room wasn't large but there seemed to be hundreds of books in it. Hermione's heaven, Ginny thought with a small smile. She stared at the old books and bit her lip. She knew she shouldn't look at the books, much less touch them, but something was egging her on. Ginny felt like she would receive a pleasant surprise if she read one.

Her fingers skimmed the top of one the books. And then she went to open it.

Footsteps went by the door, slow but heavy, and Ginny stopped. Snape? Or was it his father? His father who he seemed so afraid of. The footsteps continued by and Ginny sagged in relief. Her body was going through so much stress from the last twenty-four hours that Ginny was surprised she was still standing.

Ginny then opened the same book she was going to open before. Her eyes glanced over the words and she flipped through a couple of pages. There were pictures of things that looked slightly familiar. Glowing balls, a room of doors… a veil… Ginny gasped in surprise as she realized what she was looking at.

Suddenly the pain of ankle didn't mean very much to Ginny.

---

When Snape opened the door, Ginny was still reading the book. She looked up at him with wide eyes and couldn't speak for a minute.

"Severus," she whispered. "I- you never- you can save- we can-"

She stuttered her words as she tried to think of what to say.

"What are you doing?" he hissed. "Those are my father's!"

Ginny clutched the book to her chest.

"I know! We need to talk, Severus-"

"You need to leave," he responded sharply. "Go wake Lupin and use the Floo from my room."

Ginny dropped the book in surprise when Snape grabbed her arm.

"Listen to me, Snape!" Ginny cried.

"No. Black is a fool."

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise. How did he know she was about to talk about Sirius? Did he know something she didn't?

"What are you talking about?"

Snape frowned at her, his grip on her arm tightening.

"Not your Black, Stiles. Regulus Black."

There was a stretch of silence in which Ginny felt a bit lost. What the bloody hell was Snape going on about?

"Sirius' brother? What about him?"

Ginny could still remember the dark look Sirius got when he had met up with his brother those two times at Hogwarts. The boy seemed to be the exact opposite of what Sirius was.

Snape looked Ginny up and down, trying to decide whether to tell her or not.

"He's the one who got you into this situation," Snape told her.

Then he pulled her out of the room by her arm, causing her to stumble down the hallway. He pushed her into his room before shoving clothes into her arms.

"Leave, now," Snape said. "My father is gone for only a few minutes."

The fear in his eyes caused Ginny to nod. She'd talk to Severus soon about what he just said… and what she read.

There was hope for Sirius. Snape's father was an Unspeakable.

Snape shut the door behind him and walked to the fireplace. Ginny knelt next to Remus and shook him gently. He opened his eyes and stared at her, clearly confused.

"Are we dead?" was the first thing he mumbled.

"Not yet," Ginny answered, grinning slightly. "Put on these clothes, its time to leave."

"What? I'm naked?"

Remus was utterly bewildered but did as Ginny said, taking one of the cloaks Ginny had given him and putting it on. Ginny put on the heavy cloak in her hands too and helped Remus stand. Snape watched, not amused.

"Snape?" Remus asked, eyes wide.

"I'll answer your questions later, Remus," Ginny whispered.

There was a tiny jar that Snape was holding and he opened it. Floo powder. Ginny took a handful of the powder and put it in Remus' hand.

"You go first. We're safe, for now, but we must hurry."

"I-" Remus paused before looking at Snape again. "Thank you."

Remus was confused but knew that they were alive still. He knew Snape had somehow helped them. Snape frowned and Remus stepped toward the fireplace.

"Where to?" Remus asked.

"The Weasleys," Ginny answered automatically. "Just say 'The Burrow'."

Remus nodded and threw the powder in the fire. They were leaving Snape's house. It was time to go home to Sirius.

---

Author's Note: This chapter is shorter than I wanted it to be but I opted to post it rather than keep it on my computer. Enjoy 


	20. Chapter Twenty

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

Chapter Twenty

_Unfinished Business_

It was hard to remember what happened, exactly, when Ginny arrived at the Burrow. She remembered collapsing upon arrival, screaming out because of the pain of her broken ankle. Sweating and disorientated, she had glanced up to see a pair of blue eyes staring at her in surprise.

"Ginny!" the little boy had cried out and all went black.

She woke up in the midst of her dad lifting her up into his arms. Ginny had no idea why he didn't use magic but she didn't care. Perhaps, in this time of distress, he wanted to handle her himself instead of using magic to carry her. Grabbing onto his shirt, she caught his attention.

"Dumbledore," Ginny had managed to croak. "We need to see Dumbledore."

Her dad nodded and she slumped in his arms, once again blacking out.

---

When Ginny woke up she was able to focus and see everything around her clearly. She was in a bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. Blinking, she tried to get the sleep out of her eyes. Her body was stiff, sore, and she didn't dare attempt to move her ankle. Shifting under the covers, Ginny attempted to sit up but hit something with her hand.

Turning surprised eyes to the spot next to her in the bed, she saw Remus sleeping. He looked better than Ginny had seen him in a while, though his skin was still drawn and pale. Licking her lips, Ginny glanced around the room. They had definitely made it to the Burrow and she could only assume her mum and dad had contacted Dumbledore about their arrival. And, apparently, they didn't find it necessary to separate Remus and herself.

Throwing the covers off her body, though softly so that she did not disturb the sleeping Remus, Ginny looked at her ankle. It was bandaged but, with hesitant movement, felt much better. She sighed in relief. Her mum had fixed her. Ginny placed her feet on the ground and stood up.

She took another glance around the slightly familiar room. A fire was lit in the fireplace and she realized she was in her parents' bedroom. They had been kind enough to give her and Remus their room while they healed. Ginny looked at herself. She was no longer wearing Snape's large cloak, instead wearing a nightgown that looked like her mum might have shrunken so that it would fit her.

And, with perfect timing, there was a soft knock on the bedroom door. Ginny stilled, looking at it before glancing back at Remus, who remained asleep. Whoever was knocking did not wait for her to respond, however, for the door opened a second later. Ginny expected to see her parents, or perhaps one of her brothers, but instead it was the tall, aging Dumbledore who walked into the room.

"Professor!" Ginny breathed.

He did not say anything to her as he shut the bedroom door. Pulling out his wand, Dumbledore waved it quietly before turning his full attention to Ginny. His eyes took in the sight of her and a frown came to his face.

"You look well," he told her, walking up to her.

It was a comment that Ginny couldn't believe for she could only imagine how much of a horror she looked like. Dumbledore grabbed her arm, as though making sure she was really alive. His grip softened when he realized that she was, indeed, still functioning.

"Thank you," Ginny responded.

She opened her mouth to speak again but stopped, no words coming out.

"I am sorry, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore whispered, his eyes scanning her face. "I should have protected you."

Ginny's face fell at Dumbledore's voice, for it was filled with regret and sorrow.

"I need you to tell me everything. You and Mr. Lupin are still alive, obviously, but… I need to know how this miracle has occurred."

"Of course, Professor," she told him.

Dumbledore walked away from Ginny and towards Remus, who was still blissfully unaware of reality. The old wizard peered at the beaten down boy, his glasses slipping down his crooked nose a bit.

"Who would have ever thought these events would happen to my students? And that you would survive to tell the tale?"

He looked up from Remus to Ginny.

"It is time we leave the Weasleys' house. It is time we go back to Hogwarts."

---

Ginny hadn't been able to say goodbye and give her thanks to her parents. She could only imagine the fear and curiosity that was building within them. After all, a girl who had just been at their house for Christmas had arrived half dead at their fireplace. Dumbledore assured her he would give them some reason as to what happened but urged her that time was precious. Remus needed to be looked at by a professional Healer, not just her mum.

So they arrived at Hogwarts. Remus, weak and still having trouble standing, had been sent to the Hospital Wing immediately. There were few students in the halls of Hogwarts, for the holidays had yet to end, so there was hardly any fear that he would be discovered so worn out there. And then Ginny and Dumbledore had gone to his office, the most private place in the school, to discuss the events.

Tired, Ginny had recounted everything she could remember. She spoke of how she had seen Dumbledore on New Years Eve and how they had all run from the fighting and the fire. Recounting how the Deatheaters had caught her and thrown her wand from her was embarrassing and she couldn't look Dumbledore in the eyes as she told that part. Then she spoke of Remus rescuing her, sort of, and how there was a full moon approaching so they had to devise a plan. Dumbledore remained quiet, listening to her story with his full attention, his fingers interlocked in front of him.

When it came time to speak of Snape rescuing her, Ginny had a harder time spitting the events out. She knew that Snape would not want to be drug into the story and she knew that he would find it appalling if Dumbledore knew he had a tiny streak of goodness in him. But she still told the Headmaster for she had to.

After she told Dumbledore the whole story, Ginny felt exhausted. She could only imagine how she looked, slumped in his office chair in a nightgown that was worn out and shrunken to loosely fit her. Her face was probably pale, her eyes rimmed red and the skin beneath them bruised purple. Ginny didn't even want to touch her hair for it felt heavy and knotted atop her head. Dumbledore leaned back in his seat, watching as her eyes began to drift shut.

"Thank you for telling me everything, Miss Stiles," he began. "You don't know how appreciative I am of you being returned from the Deatheaters safely. The story of you and Mr. Lupin being kidnapped was not spread, however. The Potters, Mr. Black and Mr. Pettigrew were the only ones who knew of the actual kidnapping. They have promised to not tell a soul of it and I trust them completely. Your early return to Hogwarts will hardly be noticed. But, I must say, it would have been horrible timing if Voldemort had been successful in his attempt to kidnap you."

Ginny looked up at Dumbledore then, for despite the dreary tone the conversation had had before there was now a bit of excitement in his tone. What did he mean?

"Professor?"

Dumbledore then reached down and, from somewhere Ginny couldn't see, pulled out a book. It was a normal looking book, something Ginny wouldn't pay attention to if she saw it in the library. There was a faded title on the cover but, as Ginny leaned forward in her seat to get a better view of it, an undeniable magic to it. She stopped breathing and slowly raised her gaze to Dumbledore's.

"Is that…?"

Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle reappearing in his eyes.

"Yes, my dear. I have found the book, finally. You can go home."

Ginny's jaw drop and she felt like her body had suddenly become weightless. She could go home. She could go home. The thought kept repeating itself in her head. Finally, Ginny could go home, back to her time, and Voldemort could be defeated.

A laugh escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes were watering and she leaned back in her seat.

"When?" she whispered.

Putting the book wherever he had pulled it from, Dumbledore didn't respond right away.

"I'll give you a week to say your goodbyes. But any longer than that, Miss Stiles, could be dangerous… after all, Lord Voldemort is after you. So, next Sunday, you will meet me up here during lunch and you shall be on your way."

It was hard to process. But Ginny nodded, as she was suppose to, and stood up from her seat.

"Thank you, Professor," Ginny said, unable to put in words how much the finding of the book meant to her.

She could go home, finally.

"You're a brave girl, Miss Stiles. And many people here care for you, very much. Don't let them know you're leaving, you know the consequences of such a thing. Not only will your life be in danger but theirs' also… so complete any unfinished business and you shall then be on your way."

She nodded briefly, hardly able to take in the words he just said. Unfinished business?

"By the way, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore said. "You're forgetting something."

Ginny gasped in delight as Dumbledore pulled a familiar wand and handed it to her. Her wand warmed in her hand, making her skin tingle.

Then Ginny left the office and headed back to the Hufflepuff common room, holding her wand close to her. Everything felt cluttered in her head and she needed sleep. But excitement bubbled within her, along with dread, and she wondered what she was going to do when she woke up.

---

**Seven Days: Sunday**

Everyone was coming back to Hogwarts, finally. The night before had felt long and was painful for Ginny. She had managed to get a few hours of sleep in her dormitory despite the thoughts that racked her mind. But then she found herself awake, staring up at her bed canopy. She was going home. It had been something Ginny had been waiting for, praying for, since she arrived at this time in September.

Now it was January and Ginny wasn't so sure she was ready to go home. Like Dumbledore had said, as if he knew more about Ginny's life than she let on, she had a lot of unfinished business. And there were a lot of things she wanted to see. She wanted to see Lily and James get married, for she knew it would one of the happiest moments of their lives. Graduation would be coming soon for the Marauders, Lily, Gideon, Fabian… she wanted to be there for that. After all, once she left she wouldn't see the majority of her closest friends ever again.

It was a thought that plagued Ginny. Just the realization, the true hit of reality, that once she left everyone would be dead made Ginny nauseous. She had been curled by the toilet for almost an hour, dry heaving, sweating, unable to think right. As much as she wanted to stay and see everyone live, though, she knew it would eventually end. Now was her time to leave, to leave them happy and young and alive. Ginny wasn't meant to watch them die.

And it was time for her to see the people who actually knew the real her. Her parents, who would be able to hug her and kiss her and whisper how much they missed their only daughter, were the people she wanted to see the most. Her brothers, her older brothers, would be waiting for her at home, ready to take care of their little sister after her long trip. Luna and Neville would be the first friends she would try to find, who she would want to cry to about everything. And, hopefully, Ron, Hermione and… Harry would be back from their mission.

Thinking of Harry so in depth for the first time since she arrived in this time caused Ginny to feel just as nauseous as when she thought of leaving her friends for dead. She loved Harry, she did. But she didn't know how much she was in love with him anymore. When she left she was in love with him, promising him with her eyes that she would wait for him till he finished anything he needed to finish, but now… now she couldn't be so sure. Ginny wanted to rescue Sirius, to save his life.

However, Ginny also wanted to be a part of Sirius' life when she rescued him. There were no limits to what Ginny would do to rescue Sirius from death, from the veil. And when she did rescue him she imagined her, Sirius and Remus all getting a house together. They would heal together. The three of them could finally be happy together. And Ginny could finally be herself around Sirius. She could finally love him as much as he deserved to be loved.

But, then again, what did she know? Maybe she would see Harry and everything would come rushing back. Then what would she do? Pick the boy she had loved since she was ten or pick the man who would need her more than anything else? Both boys, men, would need her, she was sure. So how would she pick?

"But right now," she had whispered to herself, still sitting on the bathroom floor. "I pick Sirius."

"_But, no matter what, at this moment… even though I'm drunk… I love you."_

Her toes curled as she heard the words repeated in her head. Right now, in the little time she had left here, all she wanted was Sirius. He would be her main focus. Ginny would save him. She would save him and she would give Remus all the names of battles that they won so he could use them to whatever benefit he found fit. And Ginny would try to be kinder to Peter and let him see the damage he would eventually cause for power. She would let James and Lily see the power of love, love for each other and everyone else.

Ginny would try to prepare them for the future.

And she was going to get that book from Severus. In the end, it was almost ironic that Ginny's trip back in time was because of one book but that it would be another book that caught her need the most. She needed to save Sirius. Ginny needed to know that if she were leaving this time forever that she would be seeing Sirius again.

It was not an option that Ginny wouldn't see him again.

With those thoughts, Ginny had left the Hufflepuff common room only to stumble upon Remus. After some sleep, and a lot of persuasion on his part, he had managed to get away from the hospital wing. They opted to go to the Gryffindor tower, knowing that the students would soon be arriving. And so they waited. Ginny had her head leaning against Remus' shoulder, allowing her eyes to flutter shut as she waited for Sirius, James and Lily to get off the train and back to Hogwarts.

She would be going home, to her time, and she decided not to tell Remus as Dumbledore had said. He would know what happened when she disappeared and he would keep the secret. After all, Ginny had seen in the future that he wouldn't tell Sirius until her fourth year.

The portrait opened and chatter filled the common room. Ginny's eyes popped open and she turned to look behind the couch, Remus following her actions. Students poured in, noticing the two of them and waving but otherwise paying no heed. It took a few minutes for the people Remus and Ginny were waiting for to enter. James was the first to enter the common room. He had his head down, rubbing the back of his neck and muttering to someone. Lily, they saw, was hidden from view next to him. Her auburn hair cast a shield around them as they spoke privately, softly, to each other.

Ginny wanted to scream out, make them notice her, but Remus beat her to it.

"James!" His cry was strangled and Ginny couldn't move when James looked up at them.

His brown eyes widened and he was frozen in place. Then, with a burst of energy, he propelled himself at them. He caught Remus in an embrace, knocking Remus and Ginny off the couch. They landed painfully but nobody noticed. Ginny couldn't breathe when Lily was suddenly on top of them also.

"You're here, you're here, you're alive!"

"Bloody hell, couldn't send me an owl? What happened, how did you guys make it, we spent so long-"

"I ca-can't believe you both are alright, I thought for sure," and suddenly Lily was sobbing, her arms wrapped around Ginny tightly.

Ginny hugged the girl back, looking at James and Remus who were still embracing, still checking to make sure the other was alright. They were best friends, they had been through everything, but both had been sure that when the attack happened it would be the last time they ever saw each other. James looked over at Ginny and Lily when Lily's sobs reached his ears. His eyes softened and he released Remus in order to reach out to the two girls.

"My girls," he muttered, hugging them both.

Hugging him back, Ginny didn't bother to turn her face as his glasses dug into her cheek. This could be one of the last real memories she had of James and Lily. Hugging and crying on the common room floor, not bothering to be discreet as all the Gryffindors loaded into the common room. As if reading her thoughts, Remus stood up, brushing his face.

"We need to go to the dormitory, mates," Remus said. "Come on."

And, still touching in some way, the four students walked to the seventh year boys' dormitory. James properly hugged Ginny, stroking her hair and kissing her forehead repeatedly. Remus and Lily were embracing just as affectionately and Ginny felt like they were so much more than friends now. They were family, truly, and they were in love with each other, though not romantically.

Was that possible? To be in love with your friends but not romantically? Being a part of this moment, being able to see how much everyone truly cared for each other, Ginny believed it was. She had never felt anything like this, the desire to just touch and laugh and cry and love. The four students had thought death had almost come and it was so unlike the Hogsmeade escapade earlier that year. Because now they had grown to be a family and they all realized it.

Finally, after almost twenty minutes of this, they settled down on the floor of the dormitory. Ginny and Remus were recanting their tale, though it was mostly Remus talking. When the story was finished, Lily and James in absolute awe, Ginny finally asked the question that had been bugging her since they entered the dormitory.

"Where is Sirius?"

James smiled at her.

"He opted for a walk around the castle instead of coming back here. To think, he said, which is probably a first."

Remus and James laughed, though Lily just rolled her eyes.

"I need to see him, now-"

She did need to see him. He had told her he loved her and he was the one person in the whole world right now who would make Ginny feel complete. She stood up as she spoke but turned her head sharply when the dormitory door opened. Everything stopped, no one breathed, as they waited to see who was walking in.

And, in all his glory, Sirius entered the dormitory with his head ducked. His gorgeous black hair, curling slightly at the tips, covered his eyes and he was dressed in his school uniform. It was wrinkled though, the shirt untucked and the tie hanging loosely around his neck. Ginny wasn't able to move as she studied him quickly, her eyes hungrily taking him in.

Then he lifted his head and he froze, just as James had. His eyes had found Ginny's, as though it was automatic, and she watched as his pupils dilated. His lips parted and then Ginny was running at him, jumping on him and knocking him back into the door. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his hair and felt his arms wrap around her waist as they sagged onto the ground.

Sirius pulled back, releasing her and using his hands to grab her face. He turned her face towards his, his hands running all over, but his eyes stared into hers. And Ginny saw the tears forming along his bottom lashes, as if he couldn't believe it. Ginny smiled softly when Sirius entangled one of his hands in her curls.

"You're here," he whispered and the words sounded heavenly. "You're alive."

Ginny nodded and began to cry, unable to help it. Sirius pulled her towards him again and rocked her body slightly, muttering to himself. Then he kissed her head, just as James had done, closing his eyes tight.

"We'll be back," a voice said from behind Ginny.

She lifted her head and looked behind her, surprised that James, Lily and Remus were there. Neither she nor Sirius spoke. They simply moved out of the way so that the three could leave the dormitory. Remus' eyes stayed on the couple for a long moment and he shook his head at Sirius when the boy made to get up, to see his best friend. There was time for that later. Right now, Remus knew, was time Sirius and Ginny needed together. The door shut quietly. Then Sirius lifted her, keeping her close to his body, and put her on his bed.

"You're here," Sirius repeated, touching her face. "What happened?"

Before Ginny could respond, though, he got on the bed with her. He closed the bed curtains around them and stared at her in a way he had never looked at her before. It was as though there was a conflicting battle in his head. She could see the desire in his eyes, the love, the need. But she could also see something darker. And then he took her hands.

His touch was tender, sweet. Ginny watched Sirius move through half-lidded eyes, hardly able to understand how this handsome boy liked her so much. It seemed that the more time Ginny spent away from Sirius, willingly or not, the more his desire for her grew. She lay on the bed, still, as his hands cupped her face.

The first kiss was gentle, probing. Was she still his? Was she still the same? For once, Sirius seemed unsure as he kissed her. What had happened? Ginny kissed him back eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull him closer to her. For a brief flash, Ginny was sure she could get lost in his kiss. He stopped kissing her lips then, moving instead to kiss her cheeks, her jaw, her eyes. His hands, however, did not stay on her face.

They skimmed her collarbone, lightly brushing her breasts before reaching the hem of her shirt. She sucked in a breath as his hands went under her shirt and he looked up at her with dark eyes. Ginny couldn't speak, the feeling of butterflies in her stomach too overwhelming.

She had snogged boys before in dark corridors and small broom closets. They had touched her the same way Sirius was now… but not with the feeling he was now. Everything was more intense; her skin was tingling, anticipating where he might kiss her next. She felt like she was in a fog and she happily allowed herself to sink further into it rather than try to get out of it.

And, despite the fact that they had hardly spoken since they had first seen each other, she understood why this was happening. This was what they both wanted to happen. It didn't matter how Ginny returned safely, for she was back in his arms now. And he needed to love her and she needed to love him. Time was precious. It was as though Sirius knew this, somewhere in his mind.

Sirius growled, deep in his throat, as he wrapped his arms around her back, lifting her up slightly so her body touched his more. Ginny couldn't take it, the long moment of his lips not on hers, and she grabbed his face. Their lips touched again, this time causing an explosion of feeling throughout Ginny's body. Was Sirius feeling the same way? She could only assume yes as his hands released her and he began to tug her shirt off.

It took a couple seconds of struggling before her shirt was off and then Sirius began to work at his, ripping off his tie then unbuttoning his shirt. Sirius shrugged off the shirt, though never taking his eyes off of her. Ginny's body tingled as he stared down at her, his mouth opened partially because of his heavy breathing. His cheeks were flushed and his ruffled hair was falling in front of his face.

"Oh, love," he murmured, raising a hand to touch her cheek.

She sat up, wrapping her arms around his neck, before pushing him so that he was now lying on his back. Straddling him, Ginny leaned down, kissing his face just as he had kissed hers. He took a deep breath and she could feel it, as if she were apart of him.

Never, ever, had anything felt quite like this.

Ginny's hands ran up and down Sirius' body, toned and so strong. She felt his muscles from being a Quidditch player, felt his small hips. He groaned when she gently bit his ear and, with one of her free hands, began to unbuckle his belt.

"Why are you always in such danger?" he panted, as she slid his pants off of him.

He was wearing bright gold boxers. She wanted to laugh but found she couldn't. Her body craved more of Sirius.

"I don't know," she whispered. "Just lucky."

Sirius seemed distracted, his hands working to taking her pants off also. Everywhere his fingers touched her seemed to burn, though not in a bad way. It left her skin tingly and sensitive. With her in her knickers, and him in his boxers, they once again began kissing, hardly stopping to take a breath.

This was right.

So when Ginny's hands went to slip Sirius' boxers off, she was surprised that he stopped her. She caught his gaze, thinking it was a joke, and he shook his head. They were still for a moment, frozen in an awkward confusion, before he sat up. Ginny was forced to scoot away from him in order to properly look at him.

"Sirius?"

The hurt and confusion in her voice was obvious even to her. Sirius visibly swallowed before taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I just..."

Ginny wrapped her arms around her in order to cover her body, feeling suddenly vulnerable. Her mind swirled and she was so lost. What was going on?

"Sirius?" she repeated, now lowering her gaze in order to find her clothes.

Sirius threw his legs over the side of the bed and lowered his head into his hands. Ginny's cheeks began to burn and it felt like butterflies filled her stomach once again, though completely different than the passion that had caused the feeling only minutes ago. When he remained silent, Ginny found she couldn't take it.

"Talk to me!" she yelled.

He looked over at her and immediately straightened.

"Don't you feel like this is wrong? I feel like I hardly know you; you have so many secrets, Ginny. Why did those damn Deatheaters attack you? Why-why do you hate me sometimes?"

That was the last thing Ginny expected Sirius to say to her. She couldn't speak. Sirius grabbed Ginny by the arms, his grip firm and his eyes wide.

"Why do you yell at me and push me away so much? Why, after all this time, are we still unsure of how to act with each other? Why are you the one girl who I feel like is never going to be truly open with me? Why... why can't you look me in the eyes sometimes?"

Ginny yanked herself out of Sirius' grip before he could stop her. She pulled open the bed curtains and grabbed her clothes that had somehow made it to the floor. Sirius remained on the bed, unwilling to stop her. Since when had he been unwilling to make her stay with him?

"I told you, Ginny," he continued, pressing her to stay with his words. "I told you how I felt about you."

"You were drunk."

Her words were harsh, caught in her throat in a painful manner. She could hardly look at him. Pulling her pants on, she let her hair shield her face. Obviously he hadn't been as entrapped in her as she had been in him.

How embarrassing.

The embarrassment wasn't the worst part though. It was the sense of lost she felt, like something had been stolen from her. It was as though the very breath had been taken from her lungs.

And here Sirius spoke of loving her. This didn't make sense.

"I was drunk, yeah," he admitted. "But that doesn't change how I felt... feel. I still feel that way."

Ginny grabbed her shirt and put it on, making sure it was on the right way. She smoothed out the wrinkles before finally looking at Sirius.

He was so handsome, laying almost naked on the bed in front of her. Her heartbeat quickened.

"Feel what way, Sirius? Why can't you say it now?"

Sirius' expression was blank as she spoke and remained blank when she allowed him time to say something. Ginny swallowed and felt a burn from how dry her throat was.

"If you didn't want to shag, you could have just said so. You didn't need to act like you missed me."

She bit the words out and walked away before Sirius could respond. Everything seemed blurry, nonexistent, as she walked down the stairs of the dormitory and into the common room. No one took note of her nowadays; she had been a regular in the Gryffindor common room for months now. None of the Marauders were there to catch her pained expression and Lily wasn't there to try to analyze her hurried walk.

Ginny stumbled out of the common room and felt like the world was spinning. Her cheeks were flushed, her heart rate quick, her fingers shaking... she couldn't even control her body. What had happened back there?

Sirius knew something was wrong with her. He was beginning to question her fear of letting him close to her because she had a secret. Oh, did she have a secret. Ginny wasn't suppose to like Sirius or become best friends with James Potter. She wasn't suppose to give advice to Lily Evans and she wasn't suppose to trust Peter Pettigrew. Remus Lupin was not suppose to be the person she confided in, not now.

And this had been the risk, that she would get discovered or end up hurt and damaged, if she became a part of their lives. Ginny put a hand to her chest as she managed to find a room to collapse in. It was dark, cool, empty, and helped her calm down.

But she would be leaving soon…

He had loved her, he had said it before. Sirius couldn't say it now because now he didn't know. Ginny had been stupid, so stupid, and misinterpreted everything back there. She pressed a shaking hand to her face and found she was crying.

What was she suppose to do?

It took her a long while before she could get a proper answer for that question. She stayed sitting against the wall of the empty classroom for an hour, thinking, crying, before she was able to find a solution. The hiccups from crying were finally gone but her eyes were swollen.

Ginny would continue on, as always. What else could she do?

So she stood up, finally, and gave her face a last wipe of the hand. It was time she visited a certain Slytherin, it was time she got ready to go home…

---

**Six Days: Monday**

It took her the whole next day to find Snape. Ginny had almost felt like she was wasting her time but she knew, really, she wasn't. This would save Sirius…

She had successfully avoided Sirius throughout the day, using different routes to her classes than she normally did. After all, how many times did he walk her to class before rushing to his own? The mere thought of Sirius was enough to throw Ginny off her train of thought for hours, the burning feeling filling her stomach and the familiar feeling of tears in her eyes arriving. She was leaving soon. Dumbledore told her she had a week to say her goodbyes. And this was how their relationship was ending…

But it didn't matter. They had fought, Sirius had said in her regular time. They had fought then she had disappeared. And hadn't they just had a fight? Hadn't he been unable to tell her that he loved her? Sirius was still a kid and she was rushing him into something she didn't even know she wanted. After all, Harry was at home waiting for her.

It seemed that wherever she went, something that reminded her of Sirius was there. Hanging out with Remus and James was the hardest of this, for they knew something was very wrong but were lost as to how to fix it. Sirius must have confided in James, for earlier James had pulled her aside to talk to her about a possible solution.

"He needs you, Ginny, he really does. But… he needs time to think. You know, well… you know he loves you. Right? You know that. But he needs time."

And time was the one thing Ginny didn't have. Not anymore. She had many things to do in six days time. She had to convince Snape to take her back to his house, somehow sneaking off Hogwarts' grounds, and steal his father's book. Then Ginny had to interpret the readings and figure out how to apply that to the eventual situation Sirius would be in. And, worse of all, she would have to convince Severus to help her save Sirius' life.

Then Remus had tried to talk to her, tried to get her to confide in him once again. They had almost died together, they had shared so much. He was one of her best friends. Why couldn't she talk to him? Yet Ginny kept her mouth shut. How could she tell Remus she was leaving him? How could she tell him that, despite all her time in the past, she had learned no secrets to fix the future? She had failed.

She had dodged Remus' questions though and maintained the persona of being joyful. Her mind needed to be set on one thing… Severus Snape.

Surprisingly, Severus didn't run when Ginny walked up to him in the library. He watched her approach with the same guarded expression he always wore around her but he nodded to her when she motioned to take a seat at his table. There was a new calmness in the way Ginny looked at Severus and he took note of it.

"Did your near-death experience teach you something profound?" he drawled, his eyebrows perking in slight interest.

Ginny allowed a small smile to drift across her face. It was the first time they were able to talk since the incident and she couldn't help but appreciate all he had done for Remus and herself.

"Thank you," she whispered to him.

Severus didn't acknowledge the thanks, though he did relax a bit in his chair.

"What do you want, Stiles?" Severus asked, shutting the book he was reading. "That is the only reason you seem to ever be in contact with me, you wanting something."

"Well, this is all just a game, isn't it? I believe you had told me that this was a tangle of webs that we both agreed to take part in it."

For a long second, Severus didn't make any movement. Then he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Bravo, Stiles, bravo."

Ginny couldn't stop the smile from growing on her face as she looked at Severus. She had finally learned how to play his game and, thankfully, he was allowing her to.

"I need your help."

"Not surprising," he said, crossing his ankles. "How can I be of service to you?"

The library was not quiet. There were many students who hadn't finished their holiday homework rushing around the aisles, trying to find whatever book they needed to retrieve the information necessary to finish their work. But it was a perfect atmosphere for Severus and Ginny to speak and not worry about someone overhearing. After all, who would want to pay attention to a Slytherin in a dark corner?

"That book that your father had-"

Severus held up a hand to stop her from speaking.

"You shouldn't have looked in that book."

"I know, Severus, but please listen to me!"

He froze, his eyes widening slightly. Ginny took this as a go-ahead signal.

"It is the one thing I will ever ask of you. I need you to give me that book. Or, rather, I need you to help me break into your house and..."

Ginny trailed off when Severus slowly shook his head.

"Don't call me that," he told her.

"What?"

"Don't call me by my first name like we're friends, Stiles."

Ginny huffed, rolling her eyes. She didn't need another boy to throw a curveball at her like Sirius had. The brief thought of Sirius caused a sinking feeling in her stomach and it took her a second to regain her train of thought.

"You saved my life, Severus," she said. "We are connected now, whether you like it or not. Help me."

Severus shifted in his seat, a sign of nervousness that Ginny had never seen before, and she stopped breathing for a second.

"You have the book on you, don't you?"

When Severus didn't immediately answer, Ginny became excited.

"Severus... you brought the book back to school with you. Because you knew I wanted it and you had to find out why."

"Of course," he drawled slowly, his eyes raking her face. "You're a curious creature, Stiles, and your actions always lead to such interesting results."

"Give it to me," she ordered.

Ginny couldn't help her bluntness. That book could save Sirius. And, despite everything that had just happened, it was the one thing she needed to do before it was time to go. She couldn't save James and Lily. As hard as it was for her to leave them to their fate, she knew that in order for Harry to live and for Voldemort to be defeated, they had to be killed.

But Sirius' death did nothing. It just left Harry alone and lost in the world. Remus lost his last best friend. And Ginny would lose someone she had grown to love above all others.

She would save him. And that book was going to tell her how.

"Now, Stiles, I brought the book to give it to you. But you must allow me to be there when you use it. I want to see what, exactly, you're up to."

She stared at him, unsure what to say. Then,

"Of course."

---

They had agreed to meet that night, at midnight, out by the lake. Ginny hadn't been sure why they would meet by the lake but Ginny was sure there was a purpose for it. Severus didn't seem like the type of boy who would try to swoo her while they tried to interpret a dangerous book. Giggling to herself, Ginny rushed down the steps. It was almost dinner time and she wanted to eat before she went to hang out with her Hufflepuff friends. There was only so much time to do so many things.

Turning the corner, Ginny saw Dorcas lingering by the Great Hall doors, talking to Marlene. Ginny waved, catching Dorcas' attention. A smile lit up her friend's face and Dorcas hit Marlene's arm, pointing up to Ginny.

"Ginny!" Marlene yelled, waving also before rushing to her.

The three girls met halfway, laughing. The night before, instead of sleeping in the Hufflepuff dormitory, Ginny had spent time with Lily, James, Remus and Peter in the Heads' tower. The group of friends often forgot that James and Lily were Head Boy and Head Girl but now, remembering randomly, they used it to their advantage. Sirius didn't bother to show, though James waved this off as him needing more time to think. But, as James said that, his eyes had locked with Ginny's meaningfully.

So it was the first time Marlene, Dorcas and Ginny were able to really hang out since the holiday break. Ginny hugged Dorcas first before turning to Marlene. They had been her first friends at Hogwarts, the first people to really care about her despite her weird quirks.

"How was your holiday?" Marlene asked, taking Ginny by the arm to walk into the Great Hall.

"I'm starved," Dorcas said, throwing her arm around Ginny's neck. "But we missed you! Not one owl all break? Harsh, Ginny."

Ginny laughed, throwing her head back.

"I had an eventful break," she said in response.

They made their way over to the Hufflepuff table. Ginny's eyes, however, scanned the Great Hall for her other friends. The Marauders, including Sirius, were all eating dinner at the far end of the Gryffindor table. Lily was walking over to the group, probably just leaving her group of girl friends who were closer to the middle. Then her eyes left the Gryffindor table to go to the Slytherin table. Severus was easy to find, alone, writing in that book he always seemed to have on him. He looked up at her just before she was able to turn her head away and their gazes locked. She nodded and he returned the nod.

"Well, what happened that kept you from writing us, eh?" Dorcas questioned.

"Talking to Sirius Black too much?" Marlene asked, her eyebrows perking in interest. "I've seen the way he looks at you."

A pained expression came to Ginny's face and Dorcas noticed it, her mouth opening to question her friend, but a cry interrupted them.

"Ah, one of my favorite Chasers!"

Ginny looked away from Dorcas to see Edgar jump off the bench and rush over to them. She began laughing again when he hugged her.

"Who is your favorite, then?" Dai yelled as he ate a biscuit.

"Not you!" Edgar said before a smile damaged the mean remark.

The group took a seat on the bench, Edgar back in front of his loaded plate. It seemed that every student at Hogwarts had missed the wonderful cooking, for everyone was eating with full plates. Ginny grinned, grabbing the bowl of potatoes and scooping some onto her plate.

"We have a game coming up," Edgar said.

Meghan, Ginny's fellow Chaser, rolled her eyes but was smiling.

"Thank you for pointing that out," Meghan laughingly said.

Edgar continued on as if she didn't speak.

"We have a good team, we're reaching our potential-"

Ginny looked away, feeling sick to her stomach. All this time she had been thinking about the Gryffindors and how she didn't want to leave them. But now she was realizing her leaving would affect her Hufflepuff friends too. She wouldn't be there to play Quidditch and help them win.

She finished dinner, a bit more quiet than the rest. Dorcas watched Ginny with pitying eyes, as if she knew what was wrong. Dorcas, her first friend at Hogwarts, had known that Ginny was troubled. Ginny gave her a small smile as they stood the leave and Dorcas smiled back.

"The break must have been hard for you," Dorcas whispered as the group of Hufflepuffs made their way out of the Great Hall.

Ginny looked at her friend, unsure what she meant, then she remembered the tale about her family. They were suppose to be all dead.

"It was hard for me too," Dorcas muttered.

Ginny grabbed Dorcas' hand. She had forgotten that Dorcas' family had been killed not too long ago. Sometimes Ginny was so selfish. Walking past the huge doors of the Great Hall, Ginny was about to comfort Dorcas further when someone grabbed her free hand. She turned, surprised, and stopped walking when she saw who it was.

Sirius.

Dorcas turned also and fidgeted when she saw who was there. Despite the interest Marlene had in Ginny's love life, Dorcas was the only one who knew any possible inkling of what was going on. Ginny glanced at Dorcas before smiling slightly.

"I'll see you in the common room," she promised.

Dorcas nodded, leaving Ginny alone with Sirius. She gripped his hand tighter, unable to help it. Sirius didn't say anything, just pulled Ginny away from the students entering and leaving the Great Hall. Finally, when they were far down a corridor, Sirius turned to her. He still seemed conflicted, even now, and Ginny wondered what he wanted.

Her heart was racing, though, at the sight and touch of him. It was insane how much he affected her.

"You alright?" he gruffly asked, his eyes not reaching hers.

Ginny sighed, leaning her back against the wall and tugging her hand out of his.

"Of course I am, Sirius," she replied, staring at him.

She tilted her head and took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.

"What is this all about?" Ginny asked when he remained quiet.

Sirius finally looked her in the eyes, biting his bottom lip slightly. She watched as he did this, memorized by the simple action.

"I just needed to see you, to talk to you," Sirius told her, running a hand through his hair.

He was gorgeous, simply gorgeous. Ginny watched as his hair fell back into place, she looked at the slight flushing of his cheeks, the way his grey eyes were so lost.

"Sirius," she whispered. "This isn't the right time for this."

Sirius stared at her, clearly confused. He knew she wasn't referring to this conversation. Always so smart, Sirius knew she was referring to them, as a couple.

"When would the right time be?" he questioned harshly. "I'm sorry about what I said, Ginny, I really am. Sometimes my head just wants to explode and you make me feel that way, you make me absolutely insane. But I don't mind it."

He reached forward and grabbed her hands again. She couldn't look away.

"So when would the right time be but right now? We can figure this out, we can. All we have is time, Ginny."

Ginny gave him a shaky smile before lowering her eyes. As intelligent as Sirius was, however, he was so ignorant to the state of Ginny's life.

"Maybe later, we would work. But not right now. We're too young."

"Stop-" he said, gripping her hands tighter.

"You don't know anything, not yet," she whispered. "I have to go, Sirius."

Sirius' mouth dropped open.

"Ginny, I didn't mean what I said! Don't let that mess us up."

"You did mean it," Ginny cried out, pulling away from him. "And that's okay, it really is. You're right, I can't open up to you, I can't be myself. Right now isn't the time for us and that's okay."

"No it's not okay!" he shouted.

Ginny watched as realization struck him, as he saw that she was going to once again hold her ground. He ran a hand through his hair again, before narrowing his eyes at her.

"I won't let you do this," Sirius growled. "Not again. You pulling away from me is all you've done since I met you and I'm not going to give up now."

The candles in the corridor flicked as Ginny began to step away from Sirius. All she wanted was to be open with him, honest, to tell him that they would be together eventually. But she couldn't. Sirius didn't move from his spot as Ginny walked away from him. She had to go back to the Hufflepuff common room. She had to get ready for her midnight meeting with Snape. She had less than six days to figure out how to save Sirius.

When she turned the corner, Sirius threw himself against the wall, putting his head in his hands and sinking to the ground.

"What have I done?" he muttered to no one.

* * *

Author's Note: Happy holidays. Review please.


	21. Chapter Twenty One

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Twenty-One_

_The Past and The Future_

**Five Days: Tuesday**

When the clock in the Hufflepuff common room struck midnight, Ginny glanced around once more to make sure everyone had made their way to bed. She had fed her friends promises of going to the dormitory soon to sleep, for they had an early day of classes, but she had no intention of sleeping anytime soon. If Severus was willing to meet up with Ginny to look over his father's book, whether it was in the middle of the day or the middle of the night, she was going to take that opportunity.

So she exited the common room, hoping that there were no professors or ghosts lingering in the corridors, and made her way outside. Severus wanted to meet by the lake and it would take her at least fifteen minutes to be there. Ginny probably should have told him she would be late.

But, after dodging shadows and staying away from any whispered voices she heard, Ginny had finally left Hogwarts. She darted across the grounds, trying to stay close to the school in case anyone looked out the windows. What did it matter either way, though? If she got a detention it wasn't likely that she would have to serve in the next five days. And after five days she would be gone. Ginny pushed the thought away, seeing the lanky form of Severus as he sat under a tree by the lake.

The moonlight kept the grounds lit up and, even from the distance, he saw her and nodded to her. Ginny ran up to him as he got to his feet and she brushed the hair that had come loose from her bun out of her face.

"Hello," she greeted, smiling a bit when she saw the book in his arms.

Severus didn't respond, which Ginny had expected, but motioned for her to follow him closer to the lake. The tree helped shade the two students a bit and by being by the lake they would be bathed in the moonlight. Ginny raised her eyebrows, unsure. Severus noted her hesitation but continued forward without saying anything. Ginny sighed and followed.

"Can you tell me why we had to meet at midnight out here?" Ginny called, walking next to him.

He looked down his nose at her.

"My father is an Unspeakable for the Ministry of Magic, meaning that he deals with and handles objects that no one knows exist. There are never guests at the house and there are never any concerns of someone finding out the information he has stored in the house," Severus told her sharply.

Ginny opened her mouth to retort but he cut her off.

"Despite those facts, all the objects my father brings home have many security features on them. While you were here at Hogwarts, resting, I had begun to figure out the security features so that by the time we met again this whole process would be much simpler."

They stopped walking, now at the edge of the lake. It took her standing still to realize how cold it was outside. She could see her breath in front of her and could see Severus' as he spoke.

"Thank you," she said, unsure of what he wanted her to say.

"The reason that we're meeting by the lake at midnight is that, even though I took off many of the alarms of the book, there are still some enchantments in place-"

"How was I able to read the book at your house then? I had only opened it, nothing bad happened," Ginny cut in.

Severus looked like he wanted to roll his eyes but, instead, just breathed sharply out of his nose.

"The alarms do not activate when in the house. My house itself has many enchantments and spells on it. One cannot conceal many things when stepping foot in my house."

Ginny nodded, her eyes drifting to the book in his hands. Severus opened the book and Ginny stood on her tiptoes to try to look at the pages. They were blank.

"Every day is a different method to get the words to appear," he told her. "But I figured out a basic cycle."

Severus reached down and dipped his hand in the lake. He breathed in harshly and she could only imagine how cold the water must be. Then he took his wet hand and wiped it on the pages of the book. A cry left Ginny's mouth before she could help it- he was going to ruin the book- just as she saw that words and drawings began to appear.

Within seconds, the page was filled with writings and diagrams.

"You're bloody brilliant," she muttered, fascinated.

"The combination of the moonlight and water allows the words to appear. It will be two days time till we can look at the book again," Severus said softly.

"We'd have to meet out here again?" Ginny asked, taking the books from Severus' hands.

He gave up the book easily, putting his hands into his cloak.

"Of course not," he told her, looking at the book over her shoulder. "In two days, to allow the words to appear, we will have to meet in the early morning."

Ginny nodded, distracted. She flipped through the pages of the book, all of which were written in, before finding the page she had seen before.

It was exactly as she remembered.

"That is what you're so interested in? A veil?" Snape scoffed, walking away from her.

"Yes," she answered, out of breath.

Severus shrugged off his cloak and laid it out on the ground by the tree they had met at. Ginny looked up at him, excitement coursing through her, and he motioned her over.

"Sit," he said. "And we can read."

So she sat down and he took a seat, in the dirt, next to her. Ginny had attempted to take her cloak off so he had something to sit on also but he ignored it. And then they had read. There were pages on the Veil, the mysterious veil that no one had quite figured out. But many wizards and witches had attempted to figure it out. There were theories of its' magic and tales of a couple crazy wizards who had willingly walked through the veil.

Only one returned. Ember Devito.

And Devito was sent to St. Mungo's for he seemed to have gone a bit mad. That was over seventy five years ago and it said that wizard's death had been only a few months after his return. However he had written journals and journals on his experiences. Devito wrote of layers of life, of magic, within the veil… of different areas.

The book only gave certain paragraphs from his journals but, overall, it stated that Devito said there was only one layer that allowed a wizard or witch to leave the veil. Ginny couldn't quite understand the idea of the layers but Severus seemed to grasp the concept better.

"Magic is all about different fields, Stiles," he had murmured to her, distracted by the readings. "This veil is a very powerful magical object. What I believe he is referring to is the idea that the further in the veil you go the less likely you are ever to leave. It can keep a hold of you, almost as the Devil's Snare does as it wraps itself around a victim. It is astounding that Devito managed to escape."

"But how did he escape?" she asked desperately.

Nowhere in the reading did it talk about Devito's escape or what was really beyond the Veil. It only spoke of magic levels, the loss of the wizards who crossed the Veil and never came back, and the theory that the Veil would never be figured out.

Severus shut the book. There was no more to read on the Veil.

"He got to the first level," he simply responded.

"And then?" Ginny pressed, eyes wide.

"I read the same things as you, Stiles. The difference between you and I is that while you read what is written and take it as it is, I read in between the lines… I make theories."

Ginny rubbed her eyes tiredly. How long had they been outside? They had used many heating charms to stay warm and the sun was beginning to rise. Soon the writing would disappear until two days from now. Ginny would only have three days left by then.

"What is your theory, Severus?"

It was as though he was just waiting for her to ask. He answered so quickly that it seemed he was almost excited.

"Once you get to the first level it is easy to get out of the Veil, perhaps you could just simply walk out of it. Maybe you can Apparate. However, if you go past it and cannot find your way, or do not want to find your way back, then you will forever be a part of the Veil. You would forever be lost."

Severus paused.

"You're obviously looking for something that is beyond the Veil, Stiles," he said. "You want to get it and get back out. But, whatever it is, is it really important enough to risk your life?"

Ginny stared up at Severus before stretching her legs out in front of her. She heard her bones pop from staying in one place for too long. Once Severus realized she wasn't going to answer him, he stood up from his spot.

"Thank you for coming out here," Ginny said, standing also.

She grabbed his cloak, attempting to brush some of the strands of brown grass off of it. He took it gingerly, folding it over his arm.

"I'll see you Thursday?" she asked.

Severus' dark eyes looked over her, trying to analyze her. Still, she let nothing show. The book didn't seem to have too much information left for Ginny to dissect so she didn't necessarily need to meet with Severus. But she felt like it would be a good idea for her to see him, that he would be able to continue to help her. Finally, he nodded.

They walked back to the castle quickly, the cold and the morning sun forcing them to pick up their pace. When they parted ways, him going down to the dungeons and her going to the Hufflepuff common room, she fought the urge to thank him again. So they left each other silently.

---

Something was tickling her face. Ginny tried to swat it away lazily, her eyes still shut. But she couldn't. She groaned, not wanting to wake up, but her nose itched again. Opening one eye slowly, so that maybe she wouldn't have to wake up right away, Ginny saw the wide, light eyes of Crookshanks.

"Oh, baby," she murmured tiredly, reaching up to touch the kitten.

James' parents had shipped Crookshanks to Hogwarts as soon as James had realized Remus and Ginny were alright. The kitten had grown in the few days Ginny hadn't seen him. She stroked his head as he reached out to touch her face with his paw again, which had been what was tickling her nose. Who was going to watch over him when she left?

Ginny knew that he would grow to be the large cat that Hermione would buy from a pet store but she couldn't imagine him spending the next twenty years there. She sighed, closing her eyes. It felt like she had only slept for an hour since she left Severus-

The crashing of the dormitory door opening caused Ginny's eyes to snap open again. Dorcas was rushing in, her books spilling out of her arms when she tripped over a random shoe on the floor.

"What are you doing?" Dorcas screeched. "You missed your first class; McGonagall is going to kill you! And now you're going to make us both late for our second class!"

Ginny jumped out of her bed, quickly looking out the window to see that the sun was up and shining brightly. She heard Crookshanks hiss from the bed, mad at being thrown off so rudely, but paid him no heed as she rushed to put her uniform on. Dorcas was rushing to pick up the books she had dropped as Ginny pulled up her knee socks and hopped towards the bathroom.

"You're absolutely mad!" Dorcas called from the dormitory. "McGonagall is going to have your head for missing her class just because you slept in!"

Ginny glanced in the mirror as she finished brushing her teeth and winced. Her face was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes.

"Thanks for waking me," she told Dorcas as she ran out of the bathroom.

Dorcas just nodded, handing Ginny a couple books before the two girls left the dormitory. They had History of Magic, which caused Ginny to feel a bit angry that Dorcas didn't let her sleep through this one too. She struggled to remain awake, her chin resting in the palm of her one hand, and tried to write down the things she needed to do in the next five days to remain focused.

But her list didn't work out for as soon as she wrote Sirius' name she remembered their meeting in the corridor. He had been trying to reach out to her and she had pushed him away. Was that what she should be doing? Pushing him away instead of spending her last moments with him when he is still young and naïve? The class was spent with her struggling to answer that question.

Ginny ran a hand over her face as she stood up from the desk, Dorcas at her side. The two girls shared a look as they packed up their books and supplies.

"Was that class really worth waking me up?" Ginny couldn't help but ask Dorcas as they headed into the corridor.

"Well, you seemed to be doing some heavy thinking," Dorcas replied, looking at her friend with sly eyes. "Anything you'd like to share?"

If only, Ginny briefly thought before sending a smile Dorcas' way.

"We have a huge Quidditch match coming up," Ginny lied easily. "I'm just worrying over that a bit."

"Bloody hell, and here I thought it was serious!" Dorcas said, laughing. "You're beginning to sound a bit too much like Edgar, my friend."

Biting her lip, Ginny looked away from Dorcas to the packed corridor. She wanted to tell Dorcas, she really did. She wanted to tell everybody everything. But she couldn't. It was a repeating incident of her time here at Hogwarts, where her friends were asking her to talk to them and she was refusing them that privilege. Opening her mouth to respond with another lie, Ginny was saved by the appearance of a sandy haired boy.

"Remus!" she cried out, causing him to stop his stride.

He grinned when he saw her, happy that she had sought him out. Recently it seemed everybody was a bit off balance around her, though she knew it was more from her closed off persona than anything else.

Remus rushed over to her, dodging a few students, and put his hand on her shoulder, clasping it tightly. She smiled up at him and the three students stopped their walk.

"I've been looking for you!" Remus said, excitement decorating his voice.

Ginny raised her eyebrows, curious.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"I can't tell you, I know Lily wants to break the news to you, so I won't take that honor from her. Just come with me, okay?"

Remus glanced at Dorcas then and nodded to her.

"How are you, Dorcas?"

Dorcas shifted her books from one arm to the other before answering.

"I'm fine. Just fine."

Ginny looked at Dorcas, who gave Remus one of her pretty smiles.

"See you in the common room then. G'day Remus," Dorcas said before walking away.

Immediately, Remus steered Ginny in the opposite direction. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Ginny leaned into the embrace, the warmth of Remus.

"So what is so exciting?" she asked him.

He turned sparkling eyes to her and Ginny felt her curiosity peak. What was going on that had Remus this excited?

"I told you, I can't tell you. I mean, I shouldn't even be this supportive. It's rather irresponsible and out of nowhere that this happened. But who am I to judge?"

Ginny shook her head, confused.

"I am so lost right now, Remus," she said. "Where are we going?"

He remained silent, giving her a mischievous look. Ginny couldn't help but laugh and allowed him to lead her through the corridors. But the route became familiar after only a minute. Remus was taking her to the Gryffindor common room.

They remained quiet for another second and Ginny bit her lip. It was now or never and, since she had just decided on her list of things to do, she knew now would be the best time. After all, who knew what was to come in the next few days? What if this was one of the last times she was alone with Remus?

Remus, the boy who she had just been lost in the woods with. That felt so long ago when Ginny tried to think back on it. But she could remember sharing his warmth, she could remember the panic both of them had shared when she thought he had left her alone in the woods and he had come rushing back to her… she would always remember laying on the ice, so sure they were going to die.

It was Remus squeezing her shoulder that brought her back to reality. She looked up at him, her eyes feeling wet, and he frowned.

"You're looking awfully sad for someone who has a surprise waiting for her."

Ginny took a deep breath, wishing she could just bury her face in his shoulder and never have to deal with anything again. He stopped walking, turning her to face him. The corridor was still slightly crowded, though less than normal. Many students had classes to be in, after all.

Ginny reached up with her spare hand and brushed a piece of hair from Remus' face. His face was so young, so youthful, though there were wrinkles by his eyes and mouth. But they were from smiling, laughing, not from the transformations he went through every month.

"I'm going to give you the battles."

He looked confused for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand her comment. Then, suddenly, it dawned on him.

"You are?"

Nodding, Ginny gave him a shaky smile.

"You're right. And I've been avoiding it. But I shouldn't so… I'm going to give them to you."

Remus' eyes continued to search her face though. When she didn't say anything else he brought her into an embrace.

"What is going on with you? What is happening?" he muttered, quiet so only she could hear.

Ginny pulled back. She didn't want to meet his eyes because she knew the second she did-

"Ginny?" his voice was soft and he tilted her chin up so their eyes had to meet. "Ginny, don't tell me… are you… are you leaving?"

She didn't respond and willed her face not to show any emotion. He waited anxiously, his eyes desperate, and when she didn't answer he gave her a little shake.

"No! No, you can't be!"

His voice was shaking and Ginny's face fell. Remus continued to stare at her in fear before, quickly, spinning around. He still had a tight grip on her and he brought her with her.

"We're talking about this," he said simply, his voice tense.

"Now?" she questioned.

Remus moved his grip from her arm to her hand and sped up his walk. She raced to keep up with him as they went in the opposite direction of the Gryffindor common room. Now they walked through different corridors, where there were even less students.

"Remus, there is nothing to talk about," she attempted to say.

He spun around, shocking Ginny, and she jumped when he pulled her close to him.

"Don't say that," Remus bit out, his words sharp and short.

Ginny felt something close to fear swell inside of her. Despite the fact that Ginny had seen this young boy transform into a werewolf, she had never seen him look more like the wolf than he did now. She was almost in a daze as he continued to drag her through the corridors.

Finally, when they stopped walking, he set her by a wall.

"Ginny," he said, pointing a finger at her. "Don't move."

She wanted to be angry at him for talking at her, not to her, the way he was but she couldn't. Ginny just felt tired, knowing what was about to come. Remus then paced the corridor a few times before looking up at the wall expectantly. Raising her eyebrows, Ginny was about to try to speak to Remus, concerned for his mental state, when a door appeared.

Her mouth dropped open.

"The Room of Requirements," she muttered. "You remember?"

Remus looked at her, his face softening.

"Of course. Come on."

Making sure they were alone in the corridor, the two students entered the Room of Requirements. It was similar to the room that Ginny had wished for not too long ago, when she had brought Remus here to tell him she was from the future. And, now, she was telling him that she was leaving him.

Ginny took a seat on a chair, her nerves getting the best of her. Remus walked around the room for a few minutes, as if looking at the set up of it and the decorations, before finally coming around to Ginny. She watched as he wrung his hands before he took a seat on the table in front of her. He braced his hands on his knees, leaning forward a bit, catching her gaze again.

"Tell me I was wrong," he pleaded quietly. "You can't be leaving. You can't leave now."

She just closed her eyes, looking away from him.

"You read me too well, Remus," she whispered. "It's not fair."

Remus gave a dry chuckle and Ginny looked at him again.

"That's because you're one of my best friends," he told her. "You know that, right?"

Ginny nodded.

"Yeah, of course," she responded.

They were quiet before Remus stood up again. This time, though, he moved to sit next to her.

"Is that why you're shoving Sirius away?"

It was as if Remus had slapped her. Ginny flinched away from him, from that question, her face flushing unpleasantly.

"You have to tell him-"

"Remus!" Ginny snapped, unable to help it. "You can't tell anybody. Anybody. I'm trusting you!"

Her voice cracked and Remus cursed, running his hands through his hair.

"You weren't going to tell me, Ginny! I know you weren't. You weren't going to tell me you were leaving, you were just going to leave me guessing what happened to you, if you were okay or not or if Voldemort had captured you. And you don't think Sirius and James and Lily and Peter and all your other friends are going to wonder the same thing? You don't think everyone is going to be concerned about you? You can't just disappear!"

"I know! I know I can't but what am I suppose to do?"

"Why do you have to leave, Ginny? Why now? Why can't you wait?"

Ginny sighed, shaking her head.

"Because my time here is over with."

"Your time with us isn't over with though!" Remus shouted. "You're one of us now, you know that!"

The two stared at each other, neither willing to back down.

"Remus," she said, grabbing onto his hand. "I'll see you again. I told you that already… and I'm going to try to make things better. I'm going to give you the battles."

Remus imitated Ginny's earlier actions, sighing and shaking his head.

"I don't want them. If you can stay here, I don't want them."

"It's not a trade off," Ginny said, laughing a bit, unable to help it.

Remus smiled at her laughter, his body sagging on the couch, as if she drained him of all his energy.

"When do you leave?" Remus questioned, his brown eyes searching hers.

"Soon," was all she said.

He nodded before standing up. Ginny watched as he walked over to a random bookshelf that decorated the room before coming back with something. It was parchment, a quill and ink.

"What is that for?" she asked, leaning towards him.

"It's for the battles," he responded.

Ginny stared at Remus for a long second and opened her mouth, trying to think of what battle to tell him of. But then, surprising herself, she began to cry. Her body shook and her sobs echoed in the room as Remus grabbed a hold of her, wrapping his long arms around her body and pulling him close to her.

"I don't want to go," she sobbed, hiding her face in his shirt. "Don't ever think I want to leave. I don't know what to do, Remus. I'm so sorry."

Remus held her tight, though he remained quiet as she cried. She hated crying, she felt like all she ever did was cry. But at least this time she had Remus here to help her. And he knew exactly why she was crying. She didn't have to lie.

It took her a while to calm herself. But, when she did, Remus kept a grip on her hand and cracked a joke, though it wasn't too funny. She couldn't help herself when she sunk into the couch, drained, her eyes sleepy.

"I didn't sleep too much last night," Ginny admitted, giving him a small smile.

"Nap," he told her. "It's fine. I'll be here."

"But you'll miss all your classes," she objected, though yawning already. "And I don't want to sleep. I have such limited time…"

Her head slipped onto his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her.

"I can miss my classes. And we'll talk. You don't have to sleep, we'll just talk."

She nodded, closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat.

"Remember," Remus began softly. "When I warned you against Sirius? I said how he would break your heart, how you were the one girl he was afraid of?"

Ginny smiled at the memory and nodded.

"He loves you," Remus said.

Ginny wanted to object, to open her eyes, but she was too tired. Too tired to fight the truth and too tired to waste her breath.

"If you're really leaving… why aren't you spending your time with him?"

She was sleeping before she could think up a good response.

---

When Ginny woke up a few hours later, Remus was still in the Room of Requirements, just as he promised. He had been writing on the parchment and looked over at her with a sad smile when she moved. Then they spent the rest of their day together in the room, writing the battles down, discussing the battles themselves. Ginny tried her best not to give away too many details that Remus shouldn't know and he tried his best not to press her with too many questions.

They missed the rest of their classes for the day but Ginny didn't mind. She enjoyed being in the company of Remus, who was still so filled with life. Maybe, when she got back to her time, she could bring some of the youth back into his eyes.

When Ginny and Remus made their way to the Great Hall for dinner, Ginny had only taken one step in when she heard someone shriek her name. She looked around before finding Lily rushing over to her, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Ginny glanced at Remus.

"What's going on?"

Remus was grinning.

"Remember I told you that there was a good surprise for you and we were on our way to the Gryffindor common room? Well, this is it."

Ginny looked back as Lily arrived in front of her. The older girl threw her arms around Ginny's neck, embracing her, and Ginny hugged her back, though very confused.

"Walk with me," Lily pleaded.

Unable to refuse Lily, despite her hungry stomach, Ginny turned around and the two girls walked away from the Great Hall. They were barely a staircase and corridor away when Lily turned to Ginny with bright eyes.

"This is so stupid of me," Lily said, breathless. "I don't do stuff like this."

Ginny felt herself grinning.

"What? Tell me what's going on."

Lily's smile grew.

"I feel rather reckless," Lily admitted. "If only because I've only been dating James for a little bit of time. And there's still times when I'm so awkward around him. And-"

"Did he propose?" Ginny cried out, her eyes wide.

Lily's eyes grew wide along with Ginny's and the two girls were silent before Lily began laughing.

"No! Merlin, no, not yet!"

"Then what! Bloody hell, Lily, what is going on?"

Lily looked at Ginny affectionately.

"We're going to move in together after Hogwarts. I mean, it's nothing too big to celebrate, but… I was so sure he would rather be with Sirius and the rest of the boys after school."

Ginny shook her head.

"It's a huge deal," she told Lily. "It wasn't too long ago you wouldn't stay in the same room with James. Congratulations."

The older girl laughed again before hugging Ginny. Ginny hugged her back, feeling as though a piece of her was growing and shrinking at the same time. Now she understood why Remus was so excited. James had to be ecstatic that Lily agreed to such a big commitment. It meant that the feelings were really there. And the rest of the Marauders were probably on a high from just being around James.

They knew how hard he worked at getting Lily to be with him, after so many years of pining over her.

"I like him a lot, Ginny," Lily admitted softly. "Is that crazy of me? It's almost overwhelming how I feel around him sometimes."

The two girls changed direction, now slowly walking back towards the Great Hall.

"I think its natural," Ginny told her. "Something that was meant to happen and now that it is happening… it's just… magical."

They shared a smile.

"I would marry him, you know," Lily said, her voice even lower then before.

It was as if she was scared of admitting it.

"If he asked me today, I would say yes. There is something so right about him."

Ginny grinned as Lily blushed.

---

**Four Days: Wednesday**

Ginny had been right. There was something addicting about hanging out with James and Lily, both of whom were overjoyed with the prospect of their future together. When Ginny had spent the rest of the night with the pair and the Marauders, even Sirius, she had found herself catching Sirius' gaze often. He didn't say anything to her, didn't touch her or attempt to find out why she was ignoring him so, but his presence was a bit intoxicating, especially with such a happy presence all around them.

She had slept at the Hufflepuff dormitory that night, spending her time with Dorcas and the rest of her dorm mates. They had told jokes and discussed gossip. Ginny even did some homework, though it was eventually discarded as she began thinking once again of Severus. There was so much planning to do, so much to figure out. She didn't even know where to begin.

The next morning she went to some of her classes, though she was getting in the habit of skipping them. Ginny had a feeling that Professor Dumbledore would more than understand if she didn't show up to her classes and that he would make the professors forgive her for her rudeness. After deciding to skip a class midday, Ginny grabbed her cloak and decided to sit out by the lake with her parchment filled with ideas, hypotheses and plans.

It was getting colder and colder as the winter dragged on. But Ginny wanted to be able to breathe the bitter air, which would hopefully clear her fuddled mind. She stepped onto the frostbitten grass and was making her way to the lake when she saw someone there. A broom lay by his side as he stared out at the water.

"Sirius?" she called before she realized what she was doing.

He turned his head, surprised, his eyes widening when he realized who was standing near him. Sirius opened his mouth before licking his lips and looking away.

Ginny stood still, not sure what to do, before taking a step toward him. Heat was flooding her body at the sight of him, flushing her face and causing her skin to tingle. And she suddenly thought of Remus, Remus whose advice was always so vital to her. Why was she ignoring Sirius if she had such little time left with him?

She could walk away right now and leave him be. Their relationship would be no further harmed than it already was. Or, perhaps, she could try to start a civil conversation with him. Ginny could attempt to explain herself, why she had been pushing him away. But there was no point.

Ginny was hardly able to stop herself from walking up to him. Sirius looked at her, surprise evident on his face, and he made to stand. With a soft touch, however, Ginny stopped his action. She pushed him back down to the ground with a hand on his shoulder and straddled him.

This was the closest she had been to him in days but it felt like it had been years. Her face was inches from his and his breath warmed her cheeks.

"Ginny," Sirius muttered, his dark eyes heavy as he reached a hand into her hair.

She really should talk to him, explain herself to him. But she didn't want to because it would lead to nowhere. Ginny just wanted to be with him.

And he was going to let her.

Closing the space between them, Ginny kissed Sirius. He responded eagerly, sitting up more so that he could have better access to her. She brought her hands to his face and could feel the stubbles on his cheeks. A moan escaped her lips when one of his hands found its way around her cloak and under her shirt.

Her heart was pounding and when she pulled back she heard how short of breath he was. It made her skin tingle being like this with him again.

And they kissed again and again. It could have been hours that this occurred, or days, or maybe just a couple of minutes that seemed to stretch on forever. Neither wanted to stop and neither felt the need for an explanation of what was happening. But then Ginny felt the crunching of the parchment in her cloak, dousing reality on her.

She sat back, shaking her head to clear it. Sirius was laying completely on the ground, his white shirt lifted and exposing some of his chest. Ginny almost couldn't drag her eyes away from him and from the possibilities it presented her with.

"Sirius," Ginny whispered to make sure he was paying attention.

He sat up and took a hold of her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm with his swollen lips.

"I know, Ginny."

And he did know something. He knew that she was going to leave without saying anything to him about what was going on with her. And he knew that whatever was between them was strong enough to continue if she didn't turn back to declare her love to him. So Sirius let Ginny stand up and brush herself off. Then she headed back to the castle to do what she had intended when she first came outside.

---

"It's getting frightening," Severus drawled. "How easy it is for you to find me."

Ginny slid onto the stool next to Severus, eyeing the cauldron of boiling liquid in front of them.

"I thought we were meeting tomorrow morning?" He slowly asked, his black eyes glancing over at her in obvious frustration.

Rolling her eyes in response, Ginny pulled out her sheets of parchments, filled with writing and drawings.

"Don't bother to pretend that this isn't what you've been thinking of for the past twenty four hours," she said sharply. "Does Professor Slughorn know you're using one of his spare potion rooms to boil… whatever you're boiling?"

"Does it matter?" Severus responded, even more sharply than Ginny had been.

She sighed.

"What are you boiling?" Ginny asked, this time trying to sound nicer.

Severus looked at her, the response obvious on his face. 'Does it matter?'

"If I were to go into the Veil," Ginny began, not bothering to try to start an actual conversation with him. "and I were able to get out of the Veil, how do you think my body would respond to the transition?"

"Horribly," Severus said simply. "And that's something I had been thinking of, along with several other points. The powerful magic you shall be experiencing, that your body will be put through, will be traumatizing."

"What do you suggest?" Ginny asked.

"Have a Healer on spot when you return," he responded shortly.

"Not possible," Ginny said.

Ginny had come up with a plan. It was a stupid plan, knowing the conditions of the future that she would be arriving in, but she had no other options.

"Severus…" she began slowly. "I want you to be there when I return."

It was the most startled Ginny had ever seen Severus Snape. He turned his whole body to look at her and his eyes studied her. When she showed no signs of being untruthful, he smirked.

"Stupid girl," was his only response as he added finely chopped bits of bark into his potion.

"I know, I know," Ginny said, trying to get his attention. "You're thinking, why would I do this for this girl when it's going to be so long from now? And what could I even do to help her?"

Severus didn't look at her as she spoke and she bit her lip.

"But I _know_ you're going to help me, Severus," she told him quietly, resisting the urge to touch him in someway. "I know you're going to because, at that point, it's going to be the last thing you can do to change yourself."

"You speak in riddles," he told her, looking over at her again.

"I know."

"What do you expect me to do if I were to be there when you returned?"

Ginny shifted on the stool.

"Give me a healing potion, something to help me gather strength."

"They're too difficult to brew-"

"But you can do it. And I know that when I need you to you'll definitely be able to. You're a brilliant potions brewer."

"Stop with the flattery," Severus scowled. "It will get you nowhere."

Ginny sighed, shaking her head. She had a plan and Severus had to be there for it to be successful. But she had a feeling that, even though he was attempting to seem unconcerned now, that the idea of seeing what she was bringing back from the Veil would tempt him to be at the Department of Mysteries when she needed him. It would be years from now, she knew, but it didn't matter.

In her time, Severus Snape was a wanted man. He had killed Albus Dumbledore and was a follower of Voldemort. But it was clear to Ginny that she had left a mark on him. He was an obsessive man. When he found something that caught his interest, he did his best to keep it how he liked. When Lily didn't work out, he had turned his eyes slightly to Ginny. And now she was putting herself in his debt, if he were to help her.

"I've done research on magical objects, similar to the Veil but not the same. Ancient magic," Severus told her. "is not something to put a fight up against. It will try to seduce you or control you. Only powerful wizards or witches stand a chance. The Veil most likely has so many victims because they are not strong enough, magically, to have any defense against it."

Ginny frowned.

"What are you trying to say?"

"You need a defense, Stiles."

"And what, exactly, do you think I should do?"

Severus looked at her, his expression blank, and Ginny felt fear tingle in her stomach.

"The strongest type of magic is dark magic-"

Ginny felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise.

"Yes and it is also the most horrible, torturous type of magic. Don't even try to tell me about this!" Ginny screeched, standing up.

"You're being blind and ignorant," Severus said simply. "Blinded by the words of the professors who beg you not to touch dark magic."

"For good reason!" she cried out.

"What are you going to do, Stiles, when you get in the Veil and find it won't let you leave? What if you must fight your way out? What if you get there and realize I was right and you have no training?"

"It won't be like that," Ginny said.

"You seem to be quite the expert on this," Severus said sharply. "Yet it is I who have been helping you, since you are so undereducated on anything concerning ancient magic and its holdings."

Ginny stilled, staring at the young boy before her. He was right but he had to be wrong. Dark magic was not something to tamper with, no matter what the situation. But what if it did come to that? What if she had Sirius and she was unable to leave because she wasn't trained enough, strong enough?

She shivered and looked away.

"I don't want to mess with dark magic."

"What will you do when you find yourself unable to leave the Veil?" Severus drawled, his voice like silk. "Because I will not be going in there to get you out."

It was as though the mention of dark magic brought the familiar feeling of long fingers touching the back of her neck. She shivered again, closing her eyes as she remembered the dark blue eyes that had enchanted her so as she lay dying on the chamber floor.

"I-"

Severus watched her curiously, his interest peaking over her obvious struggle. Ginny finally opened her eyes.

"How would you even accomplish this? We're at Hogwarts."

"You'd be surprised how much the Headmaster doesn't know about," he said simply.

"_Oh, Ginevra…"_

Goosebumps erupted over Ginny's skin and she fought the desire to look behind her, to see Tom standing there, waiting with that smirk on his face to see her terrified yet captivated face.

"I'll see you later, Severus."

Ginny rushed out of the potions room, the dungeons, feeling something akin to claustrophobia threatening to choke her. She ran through the dark corridors, finally locating the steps that would lead her away from the dungeons. Out of breath and shaking, Ginny stumbled across the corridor, glancing behind her at the dungeon doors. No one was following her, Tom wasn't there.

Severus was right, she realized as she fought to catch her breath. She would need a defense when she went into the Veil. But it couldn't be dark magic, not when she had already been scarred by it.

-----------------

Author's Note: So this chapter probably has horrible grammar issues but I wanted to get it posted before I lost inspiration. Next one _will_ be up soon, I promise.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

----------------

_Chapter Twenty-Two_

_A Kiss Goodbye_

Ginny was still shaken up over the incident in the dungeons. She seemed to be unable to get the feeling of someone watching her out of her mind. Taking the stairs one at a time, she pursed her lips. Severus was right, as always. The Veil was created with ancient magic and would be able to dominate her easily if it didn't want to let Sirius leave. But meddling with dark magic was not something Ginny wanted to do.

For one thing it could kill her; just a simple backfiring of a spell could do irreversible damage. And another point was that Ginny wasn't too sure that she would be able to stay away from the dark magic once she started messing with it. It was obvious that her time with the diary had put a mark on her and, sometimes, she felt like Tom was still a part of her. Down in the dungeons proved her point. She didn't want to get addicted to something she didn't even want to be apart of.

Ginny paused on the staircase, staring through the wall in front of her. But what could she possibly do? It would take months of training to get her to learn some of the more powerful defense spells. She was quick to learn, and she wasn't too modest to admit that, but she didn't have months. As soon as she returned she planned on saving Sirius.

Suddenly, just as Ginny went to continue her walk, someone grabbed her elbow. Ginny shrieked, twisting her body and stumbling forward. She landed on the staircase awkwardly, her hair falling in her eyes, and she almost kicked out at the person who grabbed her when she heard the familiar cursing voice.

"Bloody hell, sorry," Sirius said, reaching down to grab Ginny.

She let him help her up, though her mouth had dropped open in shock.

"What was that, Sirius?" she snapped, unable to help it. "Have you been following me?"

Sirius looked confused, his eyebrows furrowing, before he shook his head.

"Why would I be following you?" he asked, eyeing her. "Are you okay?"

Ginny sighed, brushing her curls from her face before taking a deep breath. She was being paranoid from her talk with Severus.

"Yeah, sorry, I just…" Ginny trailed off, catching Sirius' gaze. "Did you need something, Sirius?"

Her question wasn't meant to be unkind and Sirius knew that. He awkwardly stood on the stairs, and it was one of the first times Ginny had ever seen Sirius awkward in any situation, as he thought of an answer. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he blew a strand of dark hair out of his face before he responded.

"Just wanted to talk."

Ginny opened her mouth, ready to deny him already, but he stopped her before she could.

"Not about us. Well, maybe about us. But I just wanted to talk. We use to do that a lot, you know, in between the fighting and the snogging."

He cracked a grin at his words and Ginny was laughing before she could help it.

"We can be friends even if there is unresolved conflict between us, right?" Sirius questioned.

She should say no, she knew. But Ginny was far more tempted to say yes. This could be the last civil conversation she had with this untainted Sirius. Thinking back to their kisses that morning, Ginny's cheeks flushed and her smile grew.

"Yeah, we can talk. I'd like that."

So the pair made their way up the rest of the stairs, finally settling on talking in the Head dorms. Apparently James had given Sirius the password, in hopes that if Sirius did stumble upon Ginny they would have an undisturbed room to talk in. Sirius was unashamed to tell Ginny this, a cheeky grin spreading across his face.

They sat on the ground by the fire. Ginny's legs were touching Sirius', though they weren't sitting next to each other. Taking off their shoes, they got comfortable, as if they knew they'd be together for a long while.

"We haven't talked in a while," Sirius said slowly, cautious.

Ginny nodded in agreement, trying to feel less tense around him.

"Ever since you came back, in the dormitory-"

"We don't need to talk about that, Sirius."

Sirius' face hardened and, for a long second, Ginny began to regret coming to talk to him. He would constantly be breaching the topic of their relationship and as much as she wished they could talk about it and work it out they couldn't. She would just be lying to him, always, and he would just remain confused.

Ginny sighed, shaking her head, feeling the tightening of her throat as she began to get upset. Maybe if she hadn't kissed him earlier in the day, he wouldn't have come looking for her.

"You're right," he finally said, surprising her.

Eyebrows raised, Ginny waited for him to say something else.

"But I do want to talk about what happened before that, with… with the Deatheaters."

Ginny couldn't help but be more surprised. He wanted to talk about the Deatheaters?

"We never got around to talking about it, you know? I mean we were snogging before I could even check that you were completely alright. It was selfish, if only I had known," Sirius stopped, running a hand through his dark hair.

"Known what?" she asked, watching him struggle for the right words.

"If only I had known that would be the last time we were really together, I would have done things differently."

Licking her lips, Ginny avoided his eyes until she could slow her breathing. It was true, everything he said. They had thought they had all the time to talk and be together, that their session of kissing and so much more hadn't seemed like a waste of time. Now, however, with the obvious awkwardness and the long days of not seeing each other it was apparent that their brief time in the dormitory could have been spent better.

"Damn, I would have talked about what happened with the Deatheaters right away," Sirius continued.

He felt guilty, she saw. It was apparent on his face, the creases around his mouth as he fought to keep control of his emotions.

"It wasn't your fault," she reassured him.

Sirius didn't respond.

"You can't protect me from everything."

At that, he moved closer to her. It wasn't a complete movement, just the angling of his body. Sirius wanted to protect everyone. He was the dog, the guardian, the one who made sure that, despite his reckless lifestyle, he was the only one who got hurt. Sirius didn't love many people and, because of that, he kept the ones close to him safe.

Except for recently.

"I told you before that my brother was dangerous, that my family was dangerous," he said, his voice soft. "What if that was it? Why else would they go after you?"

Ginny didn't know what to say. She could remember Severus, after he had rescued Ginny and Remus, claiming that it was Sirius' brother's fault that she was put in the situation. It was a fact that she had forgotten about until now. Not that it mattered much now, either way.

"I don't know," Ginny responded, her voice just as low. "But it doesn't matter."

There was a flash of something, anger perhaps, across Sirius' face.

"It doesn't matter? Why are you so lax about your life? You could have been killed!"

Sirius gripped his hair with his hands, frustrated, before he turned away from her completely.

"You drive me absolutely mad," he told her.

Realizing how upset he was, Ginny reached out her hand and touched his shoulder. She turned him back towards her.

"It was really cold. And we were so weak, me and Remus. We had no idea what was going on and we had no idea what to expect, because we knew he'd be transforming that night. So, I remember, we went to take a nap and the first thing I thought about when I closed my eyes was you. I- I just thought you'd want to know that."

Sirius visibly swallowed before nodding his head sharply.

"Remus told me about some of that," Sirius said. "After me and you fought. To let me know what exactly happened, to reassure me, I think. And to calm me down."

"Did it work?"

Sirius nodded again, a small smile coming to his face. Ginny laughed a little.

"He's a smart lad, that Remus," Sirius muttered. "Knows I'm a jealous man."

Ginny tilted her head.

"Did you think something happened between me and Remus?"

Shrugging, Sirius' eyes drifted to the fire.

"I knew you two were together, I saw him jump at you and the Deatheater. Dumbledore had taken me, James, Peter and Lily back to Hogwarts and explained to us what he believed happened… that the Deatheaters had come to wreck havoc on a Ministry party and had kidnapped you as bait. Dumbledore said it was likely that the course of the Apparation was thrown off but he wasn't sure. Then you two returned and we fought and you and Remus were just so much closer yet we weren't talking at all-"

He stopped himself.

"But then he told you that nothing happened," Ginny finished for him.

He had been scared for her, in more than one way. It was so odd, Ginny thought as she studied him. In her time, when Sirius was still alive, he would never talk to her. She could remember how he would move so awkwardly around her, as if he had to watch every word and action he made. There had been the random kiss on the cheek, there had been his soft shoulder claps, the dying look in his eyes… and she had thought it was because of his worry over Harry.

But now Sirius couldn't seem to stop talking around her. He seemed to constantly be spilling out his thoughts, as if he wanted her to know everything there was about him. It was an attribute that Ginny adored. And she wished she could return the favor.

Most importantly, though, Ginny wondered that, if she were able to recover Sirius from the Veil, would he be the same as he was now or would he act like he had before she traveled in the time.

"I can't believe James and Lily are moving in together," Sirius said, throwing his head back and staring at the ceiling. "I never thought they would get that serious that fast."

Ginny snapped out of her thoughts, startled by the change of topic.

"But you're happy for them?" Slowly, she questioned.

Sirius looked back down, his lips pursed, before he nodded determinedly.

"He's my best mate, of course." He paused. "I just always envisioned me, James, Remus and Peter getting a flat after Hogwarts. We'd all go on to different careers but at least we'd have that one place to meet up. Like a happy little family."

The topic of conversation change also changed the mood in the room. Giggling, Ginny could envision that also. The four boys would have long talks at the end of the work day over Butterbeer or, perhaps more suitable, Firewhiskey.

"So what do you plan on doing now? Now that you don't have one of the pieces to your puzzle?" Ginny questioned.

Sirius shrugged.

"Same thing. Or, maybe, Lily and James can just move in with us!" An excited gleam came to his gray eyes, lighting them up.

Ginny watched, intoxicated by the sight.

"But then I'd probably have to listen to them shag all the time, which would just end up making me vomit, though Peter would probably like it-"

Ginny punched Sirius in the arm before that comment could even completely get out of his mouth, though she was doubling over in laughter. He laughed along with her, his signature bark-like laugh echoing in the room.

"Or maybe I'll just travel the world," he said as soon as they both stopped laughing.

His voice had become quieter as he stared off in thought.

"There is so much out there I'd like to see," Sirius told her. "I would hate to be confined to one place."

A sad smile came to Ginny's face at that. If only Sirius knew what was ahead of him in the future. Reaching out, Ginny touched the top of his hand. Her skin tingled at the contact and she bit her lip.

"And what about you? What do you see in your future?" Sirius asked.

Her stomach twisted uncomfortably before she took a deep breath. She would answer this question truthfully, even if it caused more pain in the end.

"I see you, Sirius," she whispered.

Sirius' hand twitched underneath hers and she caught his eyes. He was staring at her in shock, as if he couldn't believe she would interrupt their pleasant conversation with such a startling fact. Then he leaned over so he was closer to her.

"Don't say that if you don't mean it," he told her, his voice low.

Ginny smiled at his intense gaze.

"I do mean it," she promised. "It might not be right away, Sirius, but all I see right now is you. We have our issues, and we'll continue to, but…"

"You're my Lily."

Ginny stopped talking, confused.

"What?"

Sirius' face flushed and he ran a hand through his hair.

"It's crazy for me to be saying this but you're my Lily. I mean, there will never be another girl for James. No matter what Lily will be the one girl for him, no matter what scandals they'll face and what hardships they'll have to survive. She'll always be the one for him."

It felt like time was slowing down as Sirius said this. Ginny watched Sirius say this, the sincerity shining in his eyes though he was nervously trying to avoid her eyes as if in fear of her reaction.

"You're my Lily."

Ginny leaned forward in one quick movement and kissed Sirius. Her lips lingered on his for a second before she pulled back.

"We could travel the world together?" Sirius offered, his eyes still closed as he waited for another kiss.

A small smile spread across Ginny's face.

"I'd like that," she breathed before kissing him again.

---

**Three Days: Thursday**

Ginny opened her eyes slowly, surprised by the bright sunlight filling the room. Who hadn't closed the curtains last night? Raising her hand, Ginny attempted to cover her eyes before deciding it would just be best to go back to sleep. Rolling to her other side, Ginny gasped, her eyes popping open, when she bumped into someone.

A snore came from Sirius in response. One of his arms was thrown over his eyes as if he had woken up only minutes ago from the blinding sunlight. Ginny touched his face and her heart skipped a beat. They had spent the night talking and laughing and kissing. It was so odd how he was so willing to work with her funky persona. One day, he had joked, she loved him and the next she couldn't stand to be around him. Sighing, Ginny stroked his face lightly.

How could she leave this beautiful boy behind? Why wasn't she fighting Dumbledore to stay longer?

She tilted her head before pressing a kiss to his chin. He mumbled something in his sleep, his arm tightening around her waist. Her heart gave another squeeze and she leaned her head against his chest, allowing her eyes to flutter shut.

Love. This is what love was like.

Even after all their fights and all their differences, Ginny felt her connection with Sirius strengthening, not weakening. Love was something that strengthened magic. It was what had saved Harry. Leaning away from Sirius, she stared hard at his sleeping form. Maybe she didn't need to go into the Veil with her wand ready for battle. Maybe all she needed was the same thing Lily would need during the last minutes of her life.

Maybe all she needed was love, her love for Sirius.

Ginny gently maneuvered her way out of Sirius' arms before kissing his cheek. He was still sleeping and she had no intention of waking him. She had three days to finish her unfinished business and she could not allow herself to get distracted by the boy in front of her, despite how much she wished she could.

She left the Head dorms and made her way through the castle.

---

It was after Ginny had gone to her dormitory and changed that she had run into the two boys she had almost forgotten about. She had been walking down the corridor, muttering to herself as she thought of how to approach Remus with the question that she had to ask, when she saw the two of them tossing a random Quaffle between them. Ginny grinned when she saw them and ran up to them without a second thought.

"Fabian! Gideon!"

They looked to her simultaneously, causing the Quaffle to hit Gideon in the head, and identical smiles broke out on their faces.

"Ginny! Where have you been?"

Fabian raced over to her, throwing an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close to him. Gideon, after cursing about being hit in the head, grabbed the Quaffle and came over also. Ginny embraced the other twin before stepping back, the smile wide on her face.

"I've been wandering around, you know," she responded easily. "Getting stuff done. I'm happy I came across you, actually."

Gideon tossed the Quaffle in the air before catching it.

"Oh, really?" he asked.

"And why would that be?" Fabian questioned.

Ginny bit her lip, studying her uncles. This would probably be the last time she ever saw them alive. Despite the sorrow of the thought, Ginny couldn't help grinning- something that she had come to recognize as a trait the Prewett twins brought out in people.

"I just haven't seen you since Christmas," she responded. "How was the rest of your holiday?"

The three began walking down the corridor together. Gideon threw Ginny the Quaffle and she caught it before tossing it to Fabian. They kept this up as they had their conversation.

"Brillant-"

"Bill and Charlie missed you, of course."

"As did Molly and Arthur."

"And Fabian and I," Gideon finished.

Ginny nodded in appreciation.

"I missed you all also," she truthfully said. "A lot."

"Oh, shucks, Ginny," Fabian cooed, his eyes wide. "At least we've met up now."

Laughing, Ginny tossed the Quaffle hard at Fabian. He also began to laugh, catching it easily.

"What are your plans for the day, dear Ginny?" Gideon questioned.

"Need to talk to a couple people," she responded. "But that's it."

Gideon threw his hands up dramatically.

"I have a grand idea!"

"Oh, do you?" Fabian asked.

"Why don't we invite dear Ginny to toss the Quaffle around with us?"

Ginny's eyebrows perked. Gideon proposal made Ginny realize how bundled up the boys were. They had their cloaks and gloves on, along with their gold and auburn scarves.

"Ah, mate, I don't know if she can handle the intense game of Quaffle throwing with us," Fabian said, shaking his head sadly. "She is a Hufflepuff, after all."

"Very true, very true- 'Ey!"

Laughing, Ginny blocked Gideon's throw of the Quaffle to Fabian.

"Just a Hufflepuff, hm?" Ginny teased, holding the Quaffle in her arms. "You're a bunch of gits."

Gideon started laughing while Fabian feigned shock.

"Gits? I don't understand," he claimed.

"I believe you just challenged me," Ginny decided, narrowing her eyes. "And now I must go against you in this sport."

Fabian grinned.

"We'll be out at the Quidditch field, then, dear Ginny," he informed her. "You are more than welcome to join us."

Ginny threw him the Quaffle before putting her hands in her pockets.

"Of course I'll join you. I'll go grab my broom from my dormitory than I'll meet you out there."

She had raced back to the dormitory, knowing the boys were going to be playing in the chilly weather for a long time before she would make it out there. A nice flight would help ease her mind. And, feeling very guilty, she had realized that Fabian and Gideon had not been two people she thought of saying goodbye to. Grabbing her broom and layering up with a cloak and some warming charms, Ginny had rushed to the Quidditch field.

It had been cold, just as she expected. But the twins were energized when she arrived. They were the only students flying at the field for at least an hour. But the sun was beginning to peak out of the clouds and some students started filtering out to enjoy the light. Soon there were multiple small games going on at the Quidditch field.

Then, suddenly, it was almost afternoon. Ginny, Fabian and Gideon landed, shouldering their brooms and walking back towards the castle. Her body ached from the workout of flying and her mind ached from the thought of how devastating the loss of her from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team was going to be. They would be down a Chaser unexpectedly, without a chance of finding someone to replace her.

Sighing, Ginny glanced at her uncles. They were joking around, despite the hours of flying. And Ginny knew she wouldn't see them again. She knew, somehow, that this walk to the castle was the last time she would talk to them and see them alive. Instead of her being upset, though, she felt joy. If she had never traveled back in time, if she had never become friends with the Marauders, she would have never met her uncles.

They were going to kill dozens of Deatheaters one day and sacrifice themselves for the Order. Who knew how many lives they saved by their sacrifice. Ginny was proud to be in their presence right now. They made their way into the castle, past the Great Hall and up several flights of stairs before it came time to separate.

Fabian wiped his forehead, where sweat had been glistening, before turning to Ginny.

"'Pose, I'll see you later then," he said. "Great game."

"Excellent form."

"You sure have _talent_," Fabian concluded dramatically.

Ginny giggled, lowering her broom from her shoulder.

"Thank you boys," she said.

"See you then, Ginny. Don't make it too long till you reappear in our lives," Gideon told her.

Then he went to turn, Fabian a second behind him, and panic rose in Ginny's chest. She released her hold on her broom and heard it clatter to the ground as she pulsed forward.

"Wait!" she shouted.

Gideon turned, surprised, and Ginny flung herself in his arms. He gasped in surprise, though it might have also been from the weight of her body hitting his unexpectedly, before he began to laugh. He wrapped his arms around her body in return.

"This is quite the goodbye," he joked.

Ginny leaned away before turning to Fabian, who stood with a confused smile decorating his face. She then embraced him just as tightly. Her eyes felt moist and she closed them for a second to regain control of her emotions.

"Everything all right, Ginny?" Fabian asked quietly as he returned her embrace.

Nodding, Ginny stepped back. Her eyes might have seemed wet but neither boy said anything on it.

"This castle is so large," she muttered, hearing her voice crack. "I just… If you two get lost in here I want to make sure I have said my proper goodbyes."

Fabian reached over and ruffled Ginny's hair affectionately.

"Don't worry about us," he told her. "Together, me and Gideon over here are undefeatable."

"No one can pull anything on us," Gideon said confidentially, winking at her.

"I know, I know. I just- I really appreciate your friendship."

Both of their expressions softened.

"Now, Ginny, don't get all sentimental on us."

"You'll make us cry!"

"And we know that Molly pays you well to hang out with us-"

"And to keep us out of trouble, though you're doing a horrible job at that."

Knowing that they were trying to make her laugh and to lighten the serious mood, Ginny cracked a grin. But she couldn't help reaching out and hugging each of her uncles again, pressing a kiss to their cheeks.

"I just want you to know I appreciate what you've done for me. And that you have a great family. And that I won't ever forget how you've helped me."

Gideon tilted his head, seeming at a loss for words.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ginny?" he asked when she bent down to pick up her broom.

Her uncles, who looked so much like Charlie, watched her with sharp eyes.

"Yeah, of course. I'll see you around," she whispered.

Then, with a deep breath, she turned and walked away from them. She could feel their curious gazes on her back but, after a second, they turned and walked towards the Gryffindor tower. Ginny felt her strength leave her body when she turned the corner and leaned against the wall.

She ran a hand over her face, suddenly exhausted. Closing her eyes tight, she wondered if that was really how she wanted to say goodbye to two men who she would never see again, ever. And they didn't even know the truth about her. Ginny felt her lip tremble and she immediately straightened.

She would drive herself mad trying to think about the past and the future. What she needed to do was just continue onward. Ginny would deal with the consequences of everything later, when she was back home, in her time.

---

At dinner, Ginny had sat with Dorcas and Marlene. She had been enjoying her time with the two girls, both of whom were filling her in on their dramatic lives, when she felt eyes burning into her. Glancing across the Great Hall, she expected to see Sirius or perhaps Remus trying to get her attention. Instead it was Severus.

A dark shadow seemed to pass over his face when they made eye contact and she stilled, feeling goose bumps spread across her arms. Something was wrong with him. Dread bubbled in her stomach and Ginny diverted her eyes to try to think what could be upsetting Severus.

She had missed their planned meeting this morning. After waking up next to Sirius, she hadn't realized that she was cutting it close to the time she and Severus agreed to meet. Severus had scared her with his talk of dark magic the night before and she had blocked it from her mind. Ginny looked back towards Severus but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey! Ginny, where are you going?" Dorcas cried when Ginny abruptly stood up.

"I-I'll see you in the dorms tonight," she promised quickly before rushing away from the table.

The Great Hall was filled with most of the students in the castle but Ginny still passed a few late comers as she darted through the corridors. She looked for Severus, wanting to apologize, but it took her almost twenty minutes to locate him. He was lounging on the staircase near the Gryffindor tower, looking unusually vulnerable.

Ginny slowed to a walk, her heart racing, and tried to catch her breath before approaching him. It didn't work, however.

"I can hear you quite clearly, Stiles," he snarled. "You sound like a dying animal."

Fighting the temptation to roll her eyes, Ginny walked up the rest of the stairs to him. His black eyes hardened when he saw her.

"I'm sorry," she began but he lifted a hand to silence her.

"Don't sicken me with those meaningless words," Severus hissed.

Ginny studied him, wondering if maybe she was wrong about her assumption that he was mad at her.

"I know I missed our meeting and it's completely my fault."

Severus stared at her, emotionless, before he stood up. He had a few steps of height over her and Ginny felt herself shrinking away from him. There was a power to him as he slowly walked down those steps to be level with her.

And she realized why.

The last time he had this expression devoid of emotion he had been terribly upset. He had been upset over Lily… over Lily and James. Her hands became clammy and she licked her lips. It had only been yesterday that Ginny learned that Lily and James would be spending the summer together. And, especially in Hogwarts, it would be no surprise that the news traveled fast.

It felt like the stinging in her cheek came back and she raised a hand to her face without realizing it. His eyes took in the movement.

"You knew?" he asked softly, his voice like silk.

Ginny nodded, looking up at him despite their level footing.

"I just found out," she admitted.

She could hear footsteps echoing in the corridor at the landing at the top of the staircase and she grew more uncomfortable at the thought of someone interrupting this already horrible conversation.

"It's odd," Severus told her, his arm reaching up to touch hers lightly.

Ginny fought back a flinch.

"It's odd for I still thought, despite her attachment to _Potter_," he spat the name out like it was poison. "that she would realize how very stupid she was to pick his romance over my…"

Severus struggled for an appropriate word. The footsteps grew louder and there was laughter along with it. Finally, Severus seemed to give up.

"I told you before that if you associated with me you would be apart of a game, a plot, something bigger than yourself. You tried to do the same with me, for the sake of our good girl Lily, but you did not accomplish your goal. That is what I believe, at least. For what did you accomplish when it came to me? I was forgotten. Our game was forgotten."

Ginny could remember how Lily had begged her to become friends with Severus, to save him from himself, that he was just misunderstood. But it was true that once James stole Lily's heart she forgot about her old friend.

His voice got lower as he continued to speak.

"I did not forget about you being a pawn in my game, Stiles. And I do believe that we've both had our full use of each other. Except, of course, there is once last thing I must do…"

At that, Ginny stepped back, unsteadily.

"Lily hasn't forgotten you-"

But she didn't get to finish her sentence. In one swift movement, his grip on her arm tightened and he yanked her forward. Ginny gasped, her body going rigid, and her instinct to reach into her pocket for her wand, her defense, was overwhelming. The need to grab her wand, however, never came.

It was the most surprising thing to ever happen to Ginny. Severus had leaned down and kissed her. She couldn't think, her eyes wide open and her body in shock. He pulled away from her, his lips inches away from her own, and she couldn't think.

"Severus," she gasped, heart pounding.

"_Severus?!_" A shout echoed in the staircase.

Ginny blinked, surprised at a third voice, and looked up. Her knees felt like giving out when she saw who was standing there.

The Marauders were standing at the top of the stairs, expressions of joy dying on their faces. Ginny didn't have time to respond before there was a thundering of action. She looked at Severus, whose expression was once again blank, before she was pushed into the railing of the staircase.

She cried out, hitting the railing hard, and stumbled down a few steps. Catching her footing, she tossed her hair out of her face and saw that Sirius was reaching his fist back. He had already hit Severus in the face once, blood pouring from the Slytherin's nose, and hit him once more before anybody could react.

James bolted down the stairs to the fight, grabbing Sirius under his arms and throwing him backwards. Remus was shouting, dodging in between the two boys, blocking Severus from Sirius' view. Sirius screamed, trying to throw James off of him.

Ginny felt helpless, unable to speak.

"Disgusting," Sirius shouted. "Disgusting, how dare you-"

Severus sneered, blood staining his pale skin and dripping off his chin.

"She didn't put up a fight, did she, Black?" Severus purred. "And that's your whore, isn't it?"

Sirius' eyes clouded over with such emotion that Ginny almost turned and ran. Remus, however, reacted for Sirius. In one swift motion, he hit Severus in the face with his elbow, in his already bent and bloody nose. Severus doubled over and Ginny felt her muscles relax, allowing her to move. She ran up the steps and looked at Sirius.

He wasn't fighting James anymore. His expression was just as blank as Severus' had been moments before. Gray eyes stared at her, waiting for her reaction.

She had a split second to decide what she needed to do. What she wanted to do was apologize to the Marauders, her best friends, and explain what had happened. They would believe her. They would want to kill Severus with their bare hands. They would not doubt her.

But she glanced at Severus, who was also watching her. Despite the obvious pain of his broken nose, his lips were tight and his black eyes curious as he watched her. This was a test. He was testing her, in front of the people she loved.

If Lily wouldn't prove herself to Severus, he would see if Ginny, who needed his help so, would. Ginny's face almost fell and she put a hand to her head. She was sweating and was beginning to feel dizzy. Then she turned completely to Severus and shook her head.

"Are you mad?" she whispered.

It was hard to keep talking as she felt her friends' eyes burning into her.

"You can't just do things like that in public," Ginny said, reaching out and grabbing his arm.

A smirk grew on Severus' lips and Ginny closed her eyes when she heard Sirius walk away, not making any attempt to talk to her.

---

Ginny felt nauseous and she found it hard to breathe as they sat on the same staircase. Severus made no motion to move, simply dabbing at his face with a handkerchief and wincing every once in a while.

It was as though it were all a dream, what just happened. But she knew it wasn't.

"Did I pass?" she muttered, her voice hoarse.

She saw Severus' head turn in her direction from the corner of her eye but she couldn't look at him completely.

"I'll be there when you return from the Veil," was his response.

Despite the feeling that she just ruined everything in her life, Ginny couldn't help but look at Severus with a small smile of gratitude.

She might have ruined everything now. But Severus would be there when she needed him to save Sirius.

* * *

Author's Note: So, once again, I read through this quickly and there might be mistakes. I apologize. I don't like holding back the chapters once I have them out so I give them for you to read, whether there are mistakes or not. I'm horrible. Either way, there are only two more chapters left, perhaps one if I can work it. Let me know what you think. Thanks.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

_Chapter Twenty-Three_

_Just Say Yes_

**Two Days: Friday**

The ink on the pieces of parchment glistened. Her stomach twisted as she waited for it to dry completely before she folded it up and placed it in the envelopes she had made. Everything had to run perfectly in order for her plan to work. Ginny knew there would be bumps in the road, that something was going to go wrong, but she had to hope that she was preparing herself and the people she loved well enough so that they could make it through any mistakes. After all, she was no Hermione.

At the thought of Hermione, Ginny smiled a little. She would finally be able to see Hermione again, and her family and Harry. Luna and Neville, two of her closest friends, would be there to fill her in on everything that had happened. But not right away. Not if Ginny had a hand in it.

When the ink dried completely, Ginny folded the two letters separately and placed them in their individual envelopes. With a wave of her wand she sealed them. Then, with another wave, the date she had written on the envelopes disappeared.

It was almost noon and Ginny had a lot to do. She had to talk to Remus and James, despite their obvious displeasure of being around her. They hadn't talked to her after the incident in the corridor with Severus, even going to the point of turning around completely when they saw her in the corridor this morning before classes. It was the first time since Ginny had arrived back in their time that Remus and James chose Sirius so clearly over her.

Despite the fact that it upset her, it also made her feel a bit hopeful that the two boys would be able to help Sirius cope when she left. If he didn't hate her.

Ginny put the letters in her bag and stood up from her bed. She took a glance in the mirror, ready to leave the room, but stilled when she saw herself. Her school uniform was wrinkled from her sitting on her bed the whole morning after her first class. The tie she wore was crooked, half tucked into her shirt after she had rushed to button her blouse. One of her knee high socks was beginning to fall down. Ink stained her hands from the multiple times she had scratched out words on the parchment and rewritten her letters.

There were bags under her eyes because she hadn't been able to sleep at all the night before. She had been tossing and turning, thinking about the Marauders and what they probably thought of her. Ginny thought of how Sirius probably hated her and how she wouldn't have time to explain what was going on, not now. She thought about how he was going to have years go by with no answer of where she disappeared to before she would suddenly reappear in his life.

That was if he would even really worry, really care, where she disappeared to.

Then, when she finally would sleep, she would dream of her inability to rescue Sirius. She would dream that she could see him just beyond the Veil, just out of her reach, just an arms length away. And then a tall figure, Tom, with his cold eyes, would appear and just laugh at her.

And she would wake up and toss and turn again.

Her hair, braided, was frizzy and coming undone. Her skin seemed pale and she found she was constantly biting her lip, nervous. She was running out of time.

Ginny turned away from the mirror and left the dormitory. There was no time to fix her appearance, to try to look nice as she went to talk to James and Remus. It would take a lot to get them to even listen to her. Climbing up the dormitory stairs, Ginny reached the Hufflepuff common room and glanced around as she went to exit. Dorcas and Marlene had told her they were going to hang out with some of the guys in the library. They had a paper due Monday.

"You're mad for putting this paper off," Dorcas had said, grabbing Ginny's hand and trying to tug her out of the dormitory. "McGonagall already has something against you for being late to her class yesterday and you're horrible at Transfiguration. You're burying a grave for yourself."

Ginny tried to keep an even tone as she explained that she would finish the paper later today, that she had all weekend if she didn't manage it all tonight. They had believed her.

Rubbing her eyes, Ginny leaned against the corridor wall. Where would she be able to find Remus and James? And what if Sirius was with them? Her stomach twisted and she frowned. Now would be a good time to have the Marauder's Map on her.

"Miss Stiles!"

Ginny's head snapped to the side, surprised at the sharp tone that called her name. As if reading Ginny's previous thoughts about her, Professor McGonagall briskly walked down the corridor towards her, her lips pulled tightly across her face.

"Professor?"

McGonagall walked up to Ginny, her eyes sharply looking over the girl, before she pursed her lips.

"Headmaster Dumbledore would like to see you in his office."

Ginny's eyebrows rose.

"Now?"

McGonagall's eyes narrowed a bit and Ginny quickly shook her head.

"Of course." she said before McGonagall could respond. "I'll go now."

"Password is _lollipop_," McGonagall told her. "Don't keep him waiting, Stiles."

Ginny nodded and walked in the opposite direction as McGonagall. After getting a distance away from McGonagall, Ginny looked over her shoulder and was surprised to see the silhouette of her professor in the same spot Ginny had left her. McGonagall was a smart woman and would be the one to send Ginny into the past.

She tried her best not to think of the time she was losing as she walked to Dumbledore's office. When she reached the statue, she recited the password and walked up the steps when they appeared. Then Ginny knocked on the door, unsurprised that Dumbledore opened it for her before she could knock a second time.

"Hello, Miss Stiles," Dumbledore greeted, waving her towards the seat across his desk.

"Hello, Professor," Ginny responded.

Ginny sat down and crossed her ankles, waiting as Dumbledore took a seat across from her. He folded his hands on the desk and stared at her with sad eyes.

"There is only one day left for you to say goodbye to your friends," Dumbledore told her. Ginny's eyes drifted to the old clock on his desk as one of the hands ticked. "And it is time for you to begin telling your excuse for leaving."

Confused, Ginny met Dumbledore's gaze.

"You cannot simply leave, my girl. I might have worded it badly when I had you in my office earlier this week but you must give a reason as to why you're leaving. After all, it would do no good for someone to look for you in the future, to do harm to you, because you had suspiciously disappeared right now."

"You told me I would just leave, though. What am I suppose to say?" Ginny asked, her voice tight.

She didn't like talking about leaving.

"That your aunt has decided to take you out of Hogwarts, that she is going to take you to travel with her… It does not need to be specific. You can claim you'll write, that you'll keep in contact. You must act the part, Miss Stiles. For only if you act the part with the memory of you fade away after the initial sense of loss your friends feel."

His words stung and Ginny turned to look out the window, her eyes burning. Would James and Lily forget about her? Would the first time Remus and Sirius think of her is when they set eyes on her younger self?

"Is that why you brought me up here?" Ginny softly asked Dumbledore.

He sighed and she saw him shake his head out of the corner of her eye.

"I wish I could do something to help soften the pain of this for you. But you came here on a mission and it is time for you to go. Nonetheless, your disappearance must be smoothly accomplished or else it will send a spiral of chaos through your friends."

Dumbledore peered down his nose at her when she turned to look at him.

"Can I go now?" she whispered, her heart pounding. "I need to go see my friends and I have limited time…"

"There is one more thing," he said before she could leave her seat all the way.

Ginny sat back down.

"I'm not sure how knowledgeable you are on the actual act of traveling through time, Miss Stiles. And I want to make sure you realize how much your body and mind is going to go through when you go back to where you came from. The act of traveling into the future is much harsher on the body and mind compared to that of traveling into the past. You will be badly hurt, my child, no matter how strong of a person you are. There have been fatalities several times from traveling into the future. So you must be emotionally and physically ready tomorrow when we meet up. And you must arrive somewhere safe. Someone must find you right away for, if they don't…"

Dumbledore trailed off meaningfully and Ginny nodded, licking her dry lips.

"I understand, Headmaster," she told him.

He didn't say anything for a moment before he finally nodded. Dumbledore seemed just as tired as her, his face more aged than it had been at any point during her journey in this time. Perhaps he was just as worried about her leaving as she was.

"Of course, child," Dumbledore responded. "Remember… Sunday, during lunch."

Ginny was tired. She was tired of looking for Remus and James, after no success for several hours. She was tired of the way her heart sped up every time she saw someone who looked remotely like Sirius. She was tired of how her mind seemed to be in overdrive, that she couldn't have a moment of silence.

So when Ginny passed Lily in the corridor it was no surprise that she didn't notice the older girl. It wasn't until she felt a hand wrap around her upper arm and heard Lily's cry that she snapped out of her thoughts and looked up. Lily's emerald eyes burned bright and her face was flushed.

"Lily?"

Lily just stared at Ginny, not speaking, before finally taking a deep breath and looking down. Then she looked back at Ginny, her gaze intense still.

"I don't understand," Lily said. "James told me that you and Severus… that you and Severus… I didn't know you still talked to him?"

The grip on Ginny's arm slackened and Ginny was able to take a step back. Lily was so thrown off that she actually saw Ginny in the corridor that she wasn't able to collect her thoughts. Ginny could sympathize.

"I do," was all Ginny said.

Lily shifted her weight from one foot to the other, crossing her arms across her chest. She didn't seem angry, just distressed.

"The boys are upset," Lily muttered.

"I know. They've been avoiding me," Ginny responded.

Lily nodded.

"I need to talk to them, Lily," Ginny said.

Their eyes met and Lily frowned.

"Sirius has gone a bit mad," Lily told Ginny. "I haven't seen him since after he stormed into the common room last night. I wouldn't be surprised if he jumped out the dormitory window."

What Lily said was meant to be a joke but neither girl cracked a smile.

"It doesn't matter. I need to see James and Remus."

Lily shifted closer to Ginny when a group of students walked by them, chattering loudly.

"Why should I take them to you?"

And it was then that Ginny saw a flash of protectiveness in Lily's eyes. She had never seen it before. It was always James protecting Lily, James who was so open with his feelings and so forward with his love for Lily. But now, with Lily staring down at Ginny with cold eyes, Ginny understood that Lily felt equally strong for James. Lily liked Ginny, she knew that, but Lily was not going to willing let Ginny near James when she had hurt him and Sirius last night.

Ginny shivered but couldn't back down from Lily's intense gaze.

"I'm leaving, Lily."

Lily faltered, taking a step away from Ginny and tilting her head.

"What?"

"I'm leaving. My aunt is pulling me out of Hogwarts."

Lily's face dropped but she waited a moment before reacting, as if to see if Ginny was joking.

"I don't understand."

"My aunt is taking me out of Hogwarts," Ginny repeated.

She could hear the desperation in her voice, the sense of loss. Lily continued staring at Ginny blankly, as if she couldn't comprehend what she was saying.

"What? Why?" Lily questioned slowly.

Ginny's lips trembled and she looked down at the ground. She hated lying, now more than any other time.

"I don't know. She misses me, she says. She'd rather me be home. She's just scared, you know? After what happened to me at the Ministry party."

Fred and George would be proud of their only sister, pulling off a lie like that.

Lily was shaking her head.

"You're serious? You're leaving? But it's only January." Ginny remained silent and Lily's eyes grew a bit as she realized the seriousness of the situation. "You can't leave, you can't leave me! Ginny, you're- you just- you're the only person who can help me with these boys!"

Ginny laughed dryly, though it sounded more like a sob. She felt on edge.

"The boys who hate me?"

Lily was still shaking her head, her grip on Ginny tightening.

"Those boys will never hate you! But why would you do that? Why would you kiss Severus when you're talking to Sirius? You can't just do things like that!"

Running a hand through her long, auburn hair, Lily looked up and down the corridor. Then she nodded to herself and motioned for Ginny to follow her.

"It doesn't matter. Let's just find the boys."

Ginny looked at Lily affectionately as the older girl began heading down the corridor, checking every couple steps to make sure that Ginny was following her. Lily looked worried, unsure of herself. It reminded Ginny a bit of when they were in Hogsmeade and the Deatheaters had attacked. But there was no way for Ginny to comfort Lily and no way for Lily to comfort her.

It was as though James knew Lily was coming for him. When Lily turned the corner a few minutes later, leading Ginny to the Head Dorms, James was exiting the portrait. He didn't notice Ginny, who was quite a few steps behind Lily, but his whole body changed when he saw Lily. Ginny could almost feel the excitement coming off him.

He jogged up to Lily and swept her in a hug, pressing a kiss to her neck and another to her face. Lily laughed, pulling away from James a bit. Ginny, momentarily, was forgotten.

"I thought you were heading back to the common room?" James asked, not letting go of Lily.

Ginny watched the scene, feeling as if she was watching something very private. The way James and Lily talked to each other, looked at each other, seemed secret in a way. It was completely untainted, the way their emotions for each other filled the area they were in. Lily, who had a wide grin on her face, glanced behind her. Despite the fact that she was nervous about Ginny, she couldn't stop smiling around James.

"I was," Lily admitted softly, looking back at James. "But I found someone who needs to see you."

James looked behind Lily and his bright face hardened when he saw Ginny. He let go of Lily and stepped towards Ginny.

"What are you doing here?" he questioned, his voice rough. "Get out of here."

Lily touched James' arm lightly, shaking her head. And it was then that Ginny realized Sirius must in the Head Dorms also. That was why James didn't want her near this area

"Ginny," James sharply said. "Leave. I'm not asking."

"You need to talk to Ginny, James," Lily said, her voice holding no room for argument. "Right now."

"Lily, why would you bring her here?" James snapped, his eyes burning behind his glasses. "If Sirius woke up-"

"Talk to her!" Lily whispered, tightening her hold on James' arm.

The portrait opened and Ginny's breathing stopped, fear and excitement flashing through her body at the thought that it was Sirius. But, when the boy stepped out of the portrait, Ginny saw it was Remus. He quickly took in the situation, shock coloring his face.

"Fine," James snapped, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Go back in the dorms, Remus, Lily."

Remus didn't move right away, though. His mouth was open a bit and his face was becoming pale. Somehow Remus, who knew her so well, knew what she was about to do. He looked ready to cry out to her but Lily shook her head a bit, stopping him.

"You can talk to her later," Lily promised and she pushed him back towards the portrait.

"Ginny?" Remus called but Ginny also shook her head.

When the portrait shut behind Lily and Remus, Ginny turned towards James, who had his arms folded across his chest and was staring hard at Ginny. He didn't give her a second to attempt to talk.

"What are you doing? Are you crazy? Have you gone over the bend? Why the bloody hell were you talking to Snape? You know that Sirius and him- you know he's dangerous! I could, sometimes you just make me wonder if there is, what, what can you possibly have to say to me right now?"

Ginny flinched as James yelled at her, fighting the urge to turn away from him completely.

"What do you have to say to me? You're breaking his heart!" James shouted, pointing towards the Head Dorms. "You are torturing him!"

That wasn't fair, Ginny thought to herself. He had no idea what she was going through. How could he dare accuse her when he had no idea what was going on?

"Well, speak up, Ginny, I don't have all day!"

He was being mean. Hurt, Ginny walked up to him, hitting his chest and shutting him up before he could say something else.

"I know!" Ginny screamed back, her face flushing. "I know I'm breaking his heart! I'm not stupid, James, I know what I'm doing!"

James blinked, surprised by her response.

"You know what you're doing?" James asked slowly. "And you're okay with what you're doing?"

Ginny's eyebrows furrowed and she walked backwards, away from James.

"No, I don't know what I'm doing," Ginny admitted. "I just don't have time for this."

The words left Ginny's mouth before she could stop them. She could have cursed herself when she saw James' face darken.

"Time for this?" James snorted, shaking his head. "You don't have time for Sirius? You don't have time for my best friend?"

James threw Ginny a dirty look before straightening himself.

"Actually, I don't have time for _this_. Ginny, you're a great person, but you're not a great person for Sirius. I think it's time you just leave us alone. All of us."

Her heart stopped, she could have sworn on it. A wave of dizziness swept over Ginny as his words sank in and she tried to breathe, to catch her breath. She would never have thought James would say something like that to her. James always liked Ginny; he was always protecting Ginny and watching after her. Even when she fought with Sirius, he was always there to offer her comfort and words of advice.

He didn't want to be her friend anymore. She knew that she had treated Sirius horribly in the past and that kissing Severus and then sticking up for him had probably killed Sirius but didn't James know that she would never do that to Sirius without reason? Didn't he know her?

James took a deep breath, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at Ginny, some of his fury leaving him. She felt ill, she couldn't focus. Was this really happening? She had one day left and this was happening.

He took her face in his hands and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Ginny, you know that I care for you," James told her, his voice low. "But I'm on Sirius' side. I will always be on Sirius' side."

Ginny reached up and grabbed a handful of James' shirt. Her hands were shaking and she felt her eyes watering but she had to say goodbye. Of course he would be on Sirius' side, he was Sirius' best friend, he had to be… but it still hurt.

"I'm leaving," she whispered, her voice weak. "I was coming to say goodbye, James."

James didn't react right away but, when he did, he shifted so he could get full view of her face. His dark eyes studied her, narrowing behind his glasses, before he let go of her face.

"You're leaving?"

Ginny just nodded, stepping away from James. She couldn't look at him. Never before had Ginny felt so shamed, so embarrassed, as she did now.

"When? Where?"

She couldn't answer; she just shook her head. Ginny couldn't breathe.

"Ginny?"

When James went to touch her face again she stumbled away from him, gasping. Nothing had hurt this much. She was never going to see him again and he was going to hate her for the rest of his life, viewing her as the girl who broke his best friend's heart. Ginny didn't realize she was crying until she went to say something to James, anything to get away from him, and a sob came out instead.

Her body shuttered, as if it were breaking, and she brought her hands to her face, which was hot and wet from her tears.

"Ginny!" James called when she began to edge away from him.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, waving away his hand when he went to comfort her. "You're right."

James went to hug her, his pain clear on his face, but she pushed him away. Ginny was surprised at her strength because she felt so weak, so tired.

"Ginny, stop, listen to me," James pleaded.

Ginny shook her head.

"Just let me be," Ginny muttered, staring at James.

He stopped trying to grab her when he caught view of her face. She could only imagine how horrible she looked. Ginny stumbled down the corridor but didn't stop walking till she was sure she was far enough away from James and Remus and Lily and Sirius. She didn't want them to find her, not now.

James felt guilty, horrible for yelling at her when she was leaving. That was the only reason he had wanted to apologize to her, to get her to talk to him after he had shouted at her. But she deserved to be yelled at. It was James' job as Sirius' best friend to do it. Ginny had gotten away long enough with not treating Sirius with enough respect.

She wanted to keep crying, to get all her emotions out, but she couldn't. After sitting in the north astronomy tower for a few minutes, eyes swollen and face dry, she had managed to fall asleep on the stone floor. It wasn't comfortable and she didn't have time to sleep. But Ginny couldn't imagine showing her face to James or Remus or anybody she cared for again.

**One Day: Saturday**

A cold breeze stirred Ginny awake. It was still night and Ginny looked around to try to get familiar with her surroundings. She was still in the north astronomy tower. Despite wanting to spend her last two days awake and with the boys, finalizing her plans for when she returned to her time, she had instead fallen asleep in the tower.

She knew she had been running on little energy and she knew that because she had been crying her body felt more worn out than normal. But she still cursed herself for wasting the valuable hours sleeping.

Sitting up, Ginny stretched her body. Sleeping on stone was not comfortable and Ginny had to take some time stretching out her muscles before she even considered standing. Since the only light in the tower was the starlight, Ginny grabbed her wand and used it to find her way out of the tower. She walked slowly through the halls and made her way back to the Hufflepuff dormitory.

There was only one day left for her to say goodbye and she had officially messed everything up. Placing a hand on her forehead, she took a deep breath. The thought that James would hate her for the rest of his life, that he would never know what was going on, was terrifying. He picked Sirius' side because Sirius is his best friend but, nonetheless, Ginny had thought James would want to see her side.

There was still a burning sense of shame in her stomach as she reflected back on how their fight went. She had just wanted it to go smoothly, she had wanted him to realize that this was going to be one of the last times they saw each other. When Ginny got home James was no longer to be alive. She would go home to her time and he would be dead. He would have died years ago to help protect Lily and Harry.

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that Severus set her up like this, causing so much pain between her and the Marauders before she had to leave. He was a brilliant boy, though. He knew how to pull a striking blow against the Marauders when there wasn't any time for it to heal properly. Or, perhaps, Ginny was just giving him too much credit. After all, Severus didn't know she was leaving.

Ginny walked stiffly through the Hufflepuff common room, noting that no one was awake as she walked down the stairs to the dormitory. She quietly opened the door, not wanting to wake any of the girls, and paused in the doorway. Marlene slept with her hair in curlers, dresses hanging beside the bed. She wanted to do something in fashion, leave her mark on the word that way… but she would be killed, as well as her family.

Amelia Bones was snoring softly from her bed, curled in a fetal position. She was a brilliant witch and would be fair in everything she did. Amelia was a perfect example of a Hufflepuff. She would live for years yet, and Ginny remembered this painfully, she would die during Ginny's fifth year.

And then there was Dorcas, one of Ginny's first real friends at Hogwarts. Dorcas, who was so pretty and friendly, had a future unknown to Ginny. Ginny couldn't remember her from her time but that didn't mean she was alive. At the same time, it seemed everyone Ginny knew would die when she went back on. And Dorcas had been through so much already, what with her family being murdered.

Ginny walked up to Dorcas' bed and crawled into it. Dorcas mumbled something, sitting up a bit to see who was on her bed with squinty eyes.

"Ginny?"

"Hey," Ginny whispered back, her voice scratchy.

"Sleep over?" Dorcas joked before laying back on the bed.

Dorcas made room for Ginny in the bed and Ginny shifted under the covers. Already asleep, Dorcas didn't question why Ginny was sleeping with her. There was light pressure at the end of the bed and Ginny looked down to see Crookshanks walking towards her. She couldn't help but smile at the kitten, who nuzzled beside her. Ginny closed her eyes and fell in rhythm with her friend's breathing before she slept also.

When Ginny woke up it was quiet in her dorm room. Dorcas, who was always a morning person, was already out of bed and getting dressed. Marlene and Amelia were still sleeping though. Crookshanks, who had stayed by Ginny's side the whole night, had adventured off. Shifting out from the covers, Ginny waved when Dorcas noticed her.

"Hungry?" Dorcas asked quietly, pulling on a pair of pants.

"Starving," Ginny responded, smiling.

Ginny got out of bed and went to her trunk, pulling out a pair of pants and a sweater. The school uniform she had fallen asleep in was a mess and she quickly took it off. She was about to change into her other outfit when she decided she would take a shower. Today was going to be a long day yet, at the same time, a short day. She wanted to be prepared.

So Dorcas waited for Ginny as she showered. She didn't want to take too long but the feeling of the warm water on her tense body was addicting and she stayed in the shower longer than she wanted to. When she got out, she dried her hair quickly, throwing her curls in a quick ponytail. Then she dressed, grabbed her bag with her letters and met Dorcas in the common room.

"Late night?" Dorcas teased Ginny as she walked up to her.

Ginny grinned tiredly and nodded.

"You wouldn't believe it," Ginny responded and the two girls left the common room.

Dorcas chatted the whole way to the Great Hall and Ginny fought the urge to tell her friend that she would be leaving. Now wasn't the time to do it. Even though Dumbledore had told her to say her goodbyes, she didn't want to start off the day like she had ended the night before. She didn't feel like crying or having other people cry around her. Taking a deep breath, Ginny sat down at the Hufflepuff table, next to Edgar and Dai. Both boys seemed ecstatic to see Ginny.

"So we've scheduled the first Quidditch practice," Edgar said, piling some food on Ginny's plate for her.

She raised her eyebrows.

"We have a game soon," Dai said.

"You two really need to work on your connection as Chasers," said Edgar, pointing a spoon at Ginny and Dai.

Dorcas rolled her eyes next to Ginny as Dai threw a disgruntled look to Edgar.

"Do we really need to talk about Quidditch right now? We just woke up," Dorcas groaned.

Ginny nodded in agreement.

"Look, Dorcas, there is no more time to mess around-"

Dorcas turned away from Edgar and faced Ginny instead. Both girls began laughing when Edgar gave a loud huff.

"When Hufflepuff finally wins, you'll be praising me, not making fun of me."

"I'll take note of that," Dorcas replied.

Ginny giggled into her orange juice. It was then, when the conversation paused, that Ginny allowed her eyes to look around the Great Hall. The Gryffindor table was filled with students, the loudest table of the four. She didn't see any of the Marauders, though. Fabian and Gideon, she saw, were surrounded by a group of students, telling an outrageous joke.

A nosy burst of laughter came from the group and Ginny diverted her eyes to the Slytherin table. It took her a few minutes to find Severus, who was sitting by himself at the end. His face was hidden by his greasy hair and he was writing in his book. She sighed.

The group of Hufflepuffs ate breakfast slowly. Everyone had the day off and they were all happy to be together, despite the windy weather outside. Even though the sun was shining, it was still too cold to go out. The four students opted to stay in the Great Hall, lingering as all the other students left.

The Marauders didn't enter the Great Hall once, Ginny noticed. Every time a student entered the Great Hall, whether a late riser or someone who had forgotten something at the table, Ginny's heart would speed up and she'd feel momentarily faint. Then the disappointment would sink in.

Ginny stretched in her seat, listening in on a conversation Dorcas and Edgar were having. She didn't know what to do today, to be honest. Everything felt thrown off right now and, though she was wasting her precious hours in the Great Hall, she wasn't sure where to start.

"Ginny?"

Surprised by the whispered voice, Ginny looked to her left. Sitting next to her, extremely disheveled, was Remus. She stared at him, unsure of what to say, so surprised that he managed to get into the Great Hall and sit down next to her without her noticing.

"Remus…"

Remus just shook his head at her apologetic tone.

"Come on, let's go," he muttered, taking a hold of her hand and helping her out of her seat.

Ginny waved goodbye to her friends, all of whom weren't surprised that one of the Gryffindors had managed to steal her away, and followed Remus out of the Great Hall. They walked slowly through the corridors, which were bright from the sunshine and filled with students giggly from the prospect of the weekend.

"I don't know what to say," Remus admitted, letting go of Ginny's hand.

She frowned, her stomach flipping.

"I don't know what you're doing, what's going on," Remus continued, looking at her with his bright eyes. "But I know you wouldn't intentionally hurt Sirius like that. Or us."

Ginny bit her lip and looked away from him. What did he want from her? An apology? They walked in silence as Ginny tried to straighten her thoughts.

"When do you leave?"

Before, when Remus had asked, she hadn't been willing to give him an answer. Now, though, all she wanted to do was tell him everything. She had hurt him, one of her best friends, and the pain shined clearly in his eyes despite his reassuring tone.

"Tomorrow," she whispered, her voice choked.

Remus took a deep breath and looked away from her, shoving his hands into his pockets. Ginny looked up at him, watching the emotions battle across his face.

"I have something for you," Ginny said, reaching into her bag.

She pulled out one of the envelopes; the one titled _Remus_. When he turned his attention back to her she handed it to him. He took it, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Do I open it now?" he asked, turning the envelope in his hands.

Ginny shook her head and stepped closer to him.

"You won't be able to open it for a while," she told him. "But, when you can open it, I need you to do what it says."

Remus looked at her, surprised.

"What is this?"

"I can't tell you," Ginny responded, twisting her hands. "I wish I could. But I can't. Promise me you'll do what it says?"

She was afraid he was going to say no and tear the letter up right in front of her. She was afraid he wouldn't do what the letter said. She was afraid that Remus would forget about the letter in a few years. But, most of all, she was afraid that he wouldn't trust her enough to listen to her now.

But Remus' shielded gaze eased and he nodded sharply, putting the letter in his pocket. Ginny's body relaxed and she offered him a small smile.

"Thank you."

Remus nodded again and the two turned into a different corridor.

"So your aunt is making you move?" Remus questioned, his voice a bit dry with humor.

Ginny's smile grew and she nodded.

"Doesn't think Hogwarts is very safe," she told him jokingly.

"Yeah, Hogwarts is quite dangerous," Remus agreed. "Get out while you still can."

Ginny laughed.

"I hear they have werewolves here and many of their students have been attacked by Deatheaters," he mock whispered to her. "Well, really, just scratch that, 'cause one fourth of Hogwarts' student population is Deatheaters."

Remus and Ginny both started laughing. Feeling more at ease, Ginny hugged Remus. They stopped walking and Remus hugged her back.

"I'll see you soon," Ginny muttered.

Looking down at her, Remus' eyes were suddenly sad. He didn't seem to want to let go.

"How soon?"

Ginny gave him a sad smile.

"Not soon enough," she admitted softly. "But you will see me again."

They remained hugging for a couple more minutes before Ginny abruptly stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips. She stepped back, still smiling sadly.

"I love you, Remus Lupin," Ginny spoke quietly. "Don't you forget it."

Remus looked like he wanted to grab her again, not let her walk away from him, but he didn't.

"I love you too, Ginny. See you soon."

The sound of students chattering was loud in the corridor, as was their laughter, but all Ginny heard was what Remus said. A smile highlighted her face, causing her to glow, and she couldn't help but think that Remus did love her; Ginny- not Ginny Stiles… Ginny Weasley.

Saying goodbye to Remus was hard, especially since all Ginny wanted to do was hang out with him. But Remus she would see when she returned home. She needed to find Severus and, despite everything that had happened recently, she wanted to see Sirius one last time.

Night was fast approaching by the time that Ginny had stumbled upon Severus, who was sitting in the library. The candle light caused dark shadows to cover his body and she stilled, taking a second before realizing that this was Severus, someone who was an ally.

He looked up at her as soon as he heard her and his face showed no emotion when she sat down. Pulling the last envelope out of her bag, she pushed it across the table towards him.

"I'm leaving," she told him. "I won't be at Hogwarts anymore, Severus."

His dark eyes watched her.

"I need you to keep a hold of this. When this letter opens it will be the day before I need you at the Veil."

Ginny put her hands in her lap, nervous. Severus, however, reached forward and took the letter. She could have kissed him in joy… except, not really.

"It's a bit suspicious that you're leaving, Stiles," Severus said.

Ginny titled her head. Despite his lack of emotion, she could see that his jaw was pulled tight, his knuckles white from gripping the book he was reading so tightly. He was upset she was leaving. After all, what entertainment would he have once she was gone? Ginny sighed and reached across the table again. This time, though, she grabbed his hand.

He didn't yank it away, like she expected. But he didn't look too pleased by the contact.

"Thank you," she whispered to him. "Despite being one of the biggest prats I have ever met you've helped me a lot."

She squeezed his hand then stood up. Ginny had taken a few steps but stopped, turning to look at him.

"You're a better person than you realize, Severus."

Pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she left the library.

Sirius was nowhere to be found. Ginny couldn't deny that while she was walking through the school with Marlene and Dorcas she was looking for Sirius, for any sign of him. She would have thought James or Remus would have told him she was leaving. She would have thought he'd want to say goodbye.

She swallowed hard at the thought of not saying goodbye to him. The night was near its end, her last day at Hogwarts in this time, and Ginny knew that she didn't want to spend it this way. Sure, she had said goodbye to Remus and Fabian and Gideon and Severus but James was still angry at her and Sirius hadn't even shown his face to her.

Marlene and Dorcas still didn't know she was leaving and it was a topic she still didn't want to breach. But as they finished up the desserts they stole from dinner in the Hufflepuff common room, Ginny decided it was time to let them know.

"So does Conner still think he wants to come work at Hogwarts after graduation?" Dorcas was asking Marlene, licking her chocolate covered fingers.

Marlene shrugged, distracted by a stain on her pants.

"No clue," she responded.

Ginny braced herself and leaned closer to the girls.

"Hey," she interrupted slowly.

Dorcas glanced over at her, hearing the strain in her voice. Marlene took a second longer, licking her finger to try to get the stain out before giving up. When she had both their attention, she took a deep breath.

"I'm leaving," Ginny said simply.

Dorcas' eyes narrowed, confused, and she tilted her head.

"Going to hang out with the Gryffindor boys?" Marlene questioned, smirking. "Going to shag Black?"

Marlene's comment was answered only by Dorcas rolling her eyes and Ginny sighing.

"I'm serious," Marlene was laughing as she said this.

"Marlene, you might be serious but so is Ginny," Dorcas said, her eyes studying her friend. "You're leaving? Like leaving school?"

Marlene perked up at that, her eyes wide.

"You're leaving midyear? Are you crazy?" Marlene screeched. "We're almost done!"

"Why?" asked Dorcas, ignoring Marlene. "For how long?"

Ginny gave them both a sad smile.

"My aunt wants me to go. For the rest of the year. It's sudden and unexpected but," Ginny took a deep breath. "But it's what she wants. I only just found out."

Dorcas gasped, covering her mouth with her hands. Marlene's jaw had dropped.

"No! Why does she want you to go?"

Ginny shrugged.

"She thinks its too dangerous here-"

"Well she's bonkers then!" Dorcas yelled out, catching the attention of several students near them. "Hogwarts is the safest place to be!"

There was no arguing that point, Ginny had to admit. But she couldn't let them know that.

"It's just what she wants." Ginny braced herself. "But it's not like I won't see you again. I'll write you and we'll spend the summer together."

Both girls looked upset, Dorcas more than Marlene, but with that sentence they both seemed to relax a bit. Dorcas gave Ginny a half-smile.

"Are you just going back to your aunt's? To be home schooled?"

With a nod, Ginny moved closer to Dorcas and Marlene. Dorcas hugged Ginny with one arm.

"Don't worry, your bed will be waiting for you next year here. We'll convince your aunt to let you come back when we visit this summer," Dorcas reassuringly told Ginny.

Ginny sent her a smile.

"Thank you."

It wasn't long before the girls headed to their dormitory. Ginny sat on her bed for a while, picking at her covers, as the others fell asleep. She was expecting something, anything, to happen so that she would stumble upon Sirius. More than once she found herself staring at the dormitory door, expecting him to come in. But he didn't.

Around two in the morning, when Ginny couldn't stand it any longer, she left the dormitory. She was dressed in her pajamas and cloak but she didn't think of it as she left the Hufflepuff common room and walked out into the dark corridors. Maybe if she just waited outside of the common room, where Sirius could find her if he looked for her, it would make it more likely that they'd see each other.

She sat on the stone floor and pulled her knees to her chest. Resting her chin on her knees, Ginny looked into the empty hallways. Her heart was pounding but her stomach was sinking. It was two in the morning and she'd be leaving in almost ten hours. She was be gone.

There was always the option of going to find Sirius herself, or even James, who she wanted to mend things with. But the idea of them being angry to see her, or not wanting to see her at all, crossed her mind often and she couldn't deal with it. She would rather leave the situation as it was then have things get worse.

It was cowardly of her, one of the only cowardly things she had ever done in her life, but she couldn't force the Gryffindor in her to take a stand. So she remained sitting outside the Hufflepuff common room, wide awake, waiting.

A terrified squeak from a first year caused Ginny to wake up, startled. The corridor, which had been empty when she had fallen asleep accidentally, now had a group of first years staring at her like she was possibly dead. Ginny sat up, disgruntled, and wiped under her eyes.

"Are you okay?" One of the young students asked.

"Should we get a professor?" Another questioned, wide eyes staring at Ginny.

"I'm fine," she grumbled, getting to her feet. "What time is it?"

The first student to speak hurriedly looked at a pocket watch they had.

"Ten o'clock."

Ginny's head snapped towards the student, her heart stopping.

"It's ten o'clock? It's ten o'clock! Why did nobody wake me up?" she screamed, rushing into the Hufflepuff common room.

She ran down to the dormitory, her heart suddenly catching up with time. Out of breath, she barged into the sixth year dormitory to find that Marlene, Dorcas and Amelia were changing. Marlene raised an eyebrow at her appearance.

"What are you in such a rush for?"

"Where were you anyway?" Amelia asked, pulling on a shirt.

Ginny couldn't speak, putting a hand to her chest to try to calm herself.

"Why did nobody wake me up?"

Dorcas and Marlene shared a confused glance.

"We just woke up ourselves," Dorcas slowly said, as if explaining something to a five year old. "Ginny, it's Sunday. Nobody wakes up early on Sunday."

Ginny wanted to scream or cry or just laugh hysterically at the fact that time was literally running out. Dorcas and Marlene didn't know she was leaving today, in two hours. They didn't know that Sirius never came to see her last night and that she had to leave without saying goodbye to him.

"Here, wear this dress," Marlene said, throwing a dress to Ginny. "We're going outside, it's nice out."

"Surprisingly," Amelia added, grinning.

Ginny caught the dress and wanted to throw it the ground, she needed to get ready to leave, but stopped before the fabric left her hand. She was hurried, yes, but this was the last thing she'd ever receive from Marlene. It would be fitting to wear it back home. Quickly, Ginny changed from her pajamas into the bright yellow dress. It had a spring like quality to it that reminded Ginny of the Burrow.

Her heart ached a bit at the thought of home.

"I'll try to meet you outside!" Ginny told the girls as she raced out of the dormitory.

Despite her desire to find Sirius, to fix things quickly, she needed to get her broom from the Quidditch pitch. If she brought the broom back in time with her, she had to bring it back to her time. After all, the chances that her family would suddenly be rich when she got back to her original time were slim and she would probably need it.

She darted through the corridors, reaching the outside in record time. Bursting through the doors, Ginny stopped dead in her tracks. Marlene was right, it was positively gorgeous out. It was as though some sort of power knew it was her last day, for it was an overwhelming perfect day. A light breeze caused Ginny's hair to blow out behind her and she breathed in the warm air.

But then she remembered her time limit.

Sprinting across the grounds, Ginny made her way towards the Quidditch pitch. After locating the Hufflepuff locker rooms, she grabbed her broom. She was just going to leave without telling Edgar, and the rest of the team, why. There was no way they would win Quidditch this year. Leaning against the cool lockers, she took a few more deep breaths.

It would be over with soon. She would be home in just a few hours. Her mum would be there to cradle her and her dad would be there to comfort her. Harry, Ron and Hermione might even be at Hogwarts. Ginny walked out of the locker rooms, trying to be content with the thought of her home life.

But the idea that James would not be there when she got home caused her to feel nauseous. Lily wouldn't be there either. And Sirius… Sirius she would have to fight for. Ginny brought a hand to her forehead, stopping her walk back to the castle. The sun shined down on her, so bright compared to how it had recently been.

It wasn't too long ago that she was lost in the forest with Remus.

"You can't leave."

Ginny stilled before turning around. Sirius stood behind her, absolutely devastated; his face showed it all. He had found her. He had come and searched for her and found her. The thought made Ginny's skin tingle. And, before she could respond, Ginny studied him. She wanted to imprint the image of him, right then, in her memory.

He wore a white shirt, loose, that made his skin glow. His pants were wrinkled but fit his legs perfectly. Sirius' black hair was curling at the ends, which it randomly did, and fell in front of his light gray eyes. Ginny's breath hitched and she was walking towards him without realizing it.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Sirius was shaking his head, his eyes rimmed red, and he met her halfway. He grabbed her arms but, instead of pulling her towards him, kept her at a distance.

"How can you be leaving? Ginny, I can't stand you sometimes!" Sirius cried out, sounding utterly desperate.

Ginny frowned, closing her eyes so she didn't have to look at his pained expression.

"Why did you kiss Snape? Why? Why did you let that happen? Are you two _together_?" He spit the word out like it was poison.

"No!" Ginny screamed, opening her eyes again. "No, no, I'm not with him. Sirius, you- you are the one I care-"

He let go of her, though, and stepped away from her. The action caused the words in her mouth to die.

"Don't. You can't do something like that then try to say that you care about me."

Ginny shook her head. What was she suppose to say?

"Bloody hell, Ginny, you chose him over me and James and Remus and Peter! How could you do that?"

Sirius watched her intently, waiting for an answer.

"I'm sorry," was all she could say.

Sirius covered his face with his hands and turned his back to her. For a few minutes, Ginny was sure he was crying. She had managed to tear apart this beautiful boy. A burning shame coursed through her body and, for the first time, Ginny believed it was probably the perfect time for her to go back home. No longer would she be able to hurt Sirius.

"Sirius?"

Turning to face her, Sirius was still. Then, suddenly, he walked up to her. Grabbing her face with her hands, he leaned down. His lips were inches away from her on and his warm breath tickled her face. She breathed in slightly, surprised by this, and his desperate eyes sought out her own.

"Marry me."

Breathing hitched. Heart slowed, then sped up. Cheeks flushed. Legs weakened. Stomach dropped. Eyes widened, pupils dilated.

Ginny gripped onto Sirius, afraid she'd fall.

"What did you say?"

"Marry me." Sirius stared at her, no humor on his face.

He wasn't joking.

"Stay with me. You drive me crazy. But I can't have you leave. And I'm stupid for asking this after you and… Snape. But I refuse to believe that you did that on purpose. He probably… forced you to..." Sirius shook his head, trying to sort his thoughts. "If you agree to marry me, you can stay here with me."

Ginny just stared up at him. She wasn't sure if she was breathing.

"If you marry me," Sirius continued, still staring into her eyes. "we can work this out. We'd have more time. It's some law, James told me about it. It's completely medieval but if you agree to marry me, you can stay here at Hogwarts with me even though you're not of age. Your aunt has no say. The engagement would connect us. You know, it's magic and…"

He stopped talking, his eyes still not leaving hers. Licking his lips, he continued.

"Marry me. Let's get married. We'll be happy, we'll figure it out. There's something special here and if you leave I'll lose you, I know it. If you leave, it's never going to be the same. And I want you to be safe, with me, here. If you're with your aunt I can't protect you. And this is crazy, because we're really young. But that's okay. Because wouldn't you rather look back on your life thinking that you did everything you wanted to instead of staying in the social norms? There is no need for that. And I want to know that I tried _everything _to make this work. Because I love you. I do, I love you. You drive me insane and you might not admit to loving me back but, Ginny, I've only had a few people really love me in my life and I can see it in your eyes that you're one of them. And I refuse to lose you. So let's make this work. Just say yes, Ginny."

_Just say yes, Ginny._

His words stirred a memory and Ginny couldn't help but jerk a bit. Bits and pieces of a memory floated into her mind, of a dark hallway, of drunk Sirius… at Grimmauld Place. Of her waking up to hearing him moaning outside her bedroom door, drunk and helpless.

_"__Just say yes, Ginny. Why'd you say no? Please, please, just say yes. Say yes, just say yes, please. That's all I wanted, it's all I needed."_

Sirius waited for her to speak, watching as she struggled with her memories.

_"__Promise me, Ginny," he managed to grab her hand, tugging her down to his level.__ "__Promise me you'll say yes."_

"_I promise I'll say yes, Sirius," she whispered._

Ginny's mouth parted a bit and Sirius gave her a small smile.

"Say yes. Marry me," he whispered. "Stay with me here. Don't leave."

Author's Note: One more chapter! Review!


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

----------------

Title: Complex Touch

Summary: For the sake of the Order, Ginny Weasley takes a mission to go back in time to find a Horcrux for Harry. She just never expected to fall in love with a familiar future convicted escaped murderer. And that's just the beginning of the difficult times ahead for her.

Disclaimer: I only own the plot.

_Chapter Twenty-Four_

_It's All Over_

It wasn't an option for Ginny to say yes to Sirius. But, despite the fact that she knew she wasn't able to, despite the fact that she had never even considered marrying a person who was not Harry, Ginny wanted to say yes. The word was on the tip of the tongue, ready to be spoken, but she couldn't say it. She had promised him she would but she had been ignorant then, unsure of what the drunken Sirius had been talking about. And Ginny knew she could not change the course of time.

Ginny continued holding onto Sirius. He was hopeful that she was going to say yes, that she'd actually consider it. Sirius knew they were young, she wasn't even seventeen, but it was obvious that it didn't matter to him. All Sirius wanted was for Ginny to stay.

"Sirius," she whispered and her heart broke.

How could she not say yes to being with Sirius?

"I can't."

Sirius didn't seem to hear her, his eyes still burning into hers. So she repeated it.

"I can't marry you."

Blinking, Sirius pulled his face away from hers.

"I know that your aunt wants you to go home, I know we have our issues," he began, desperately trying to get her to understand. "But we can work it out."

"Sirius, I wish I could but I can't," Ginny continued, trying her best not to listen to him. "I can't because we'd never work out, not now. Why don't you see that?"

Sirius shook his head.

"Stop it," he snapped. "You're not speaking what you feel right now, you're speaking what you think you need to say."

"Sirius, we're a lost cause."

"Stop!" he cried, stepping away from her. "Don't do this to me, Ginny."

Ginny felt her eyes watering, felt her face flushing, as she tried to think of what to say. She didn't want to hurt him anymore.

"You wouldn't be doing this if I wasn't leaving."

"I know. I know because it's crazy and it's stupid but I still want it. I still want you. Don't you feel it? Don't you just feel the need to have this, me, us, in your life?"

Feeling rather miserable, Ginny looked at the boy in front of her. If only he knew what she was going to do to make him safe, to make it so he could live with her and Harry and everyone else who loved him. She would hurt him now, yes, but she was going to risk everything for him later. How could she explain that to him?

"Yeah, I do," she muttered, rubbing at her face tiredly.

"I need you to stay here. What am I going to do if you leave?" Sirius asked, his voice low, stepping close to her and taking her hand.

"Be happy!" Ginny cried out, frustrated, throwing her arms into the air. "I've only ever brought you down. And you're the only person who hasn't noticed that."

"That is a lie," he told her sharply.

"And, what, you're just going to let me get away with Severus kissing me?"

"Don't call him that! Don't call him by his first name like you _know_ him."

Sirius and Ginny stood a couple feet away from each other, yelling. She needed him to see that this couldn't work, not now, so that it would hurt less when she left. And, when she rescued him, they would be able to work it out.

"You can't just let me get away with that, Sirius."

"Fine. I'm still bloody pissed about you and Snape kissing but that is not the main issue right now. The issue is that you're leaving-"

"And I am leaving. I'm leaving. I can't stay here."

_I wish I could marry you,_ Ginny dully thought as she watched his eyes darken. _I wish I could stay._

"Is this your way of trying to keep me under wraps?" Ginny snapped, trying to clear her head. She couldn't let him win this battle, not this one.

"Yes!" Sirius shouted. "Bloody hell, yes. But I don't think there is a man alive who can keep you under wraps, Ginny. You're the most stubborn person I have ever met."

A breeze caused Ginny's dress to flutter and Sirius' shirt to loosen. It was heartbreaking to watch this boy fight for a lost cause. When Ginny didn't respond, Sirius mimicked her earlier movement and threw his hands into the air.

"So you're just going to leave? You're going to leave and not fight for us?" Sirius snorted. "Not that I'm surprised by that. All you've ever done is run away."

He shrugged.

"Coward."

The simple word got a rise out of Ginny, though she didn't want to get angry with him. Narrowing her eyes, Ginny watched as Sirius began walking away from her. She ran up to him, pushing him from behind.

"What did you call me? What did you say?" she screeched, pushing him again.

Sirius turned around, his eyes burning. She didn't back down when he stormed up to her, his cheeks becoming pink from yelling.

"You're afraid, Ginny! Merlin, it's so obvious now. You've been afraid since I first met you. A bloody coward."

Ginny's jaw dropped.

"You've been afraid of getting too close to me, to admitting that you love me, to talking to me about anything that had to deal with you directly. You're right. This isn't going to work. Because you don't want it to work."

They stood opposite each other, as if ready to duel. Ginny was shaking in anger, unable to believe that Sirius was saying this to her.

"You bastard," Ginny muttered, her ears ringing.

She turned around then, ready to leave him behind. Everything he was saying was making her unable to think straight.

"Oh, now this is an exchange of name calling?" Sirius asked from behind her. "Don't walk away from me, Ginny."

Ginny rolled her eyes when Sirius ran up to her.

"Don't, Ginny!" he yelled, yanking her towards him. "Fight. Fight! Fight with me!"

"No!" she screamed. "No! I don't want to!"

"Why not?" Sirius shouted back.

"Because," Ginny shouted, grabbing onto Sirius and pulling his face close to hers. "Because I'm leaving and I can't- I can't do this. I can't leave when I know you want me to stay. I can't leave if you're asking me to marry you. I can't leave if you keep saying you love me!"

"But I do, Ginny," he softly told her. "I do love you."

Shaking her head, Ginny leaned up and kissed him.

"Well stop loving me," she told him. "For now. Till I come back."

Sirius sighed.

"Stop saying that. Stop pushing this off."

"I'm not doing this now," Ginny said. "I'm sorry."

Ginny kissed him again, lingering so she could remember it. Remember the smell of him as she was this close to him, and the light scatter of freckles across his nose, and the feeling of his soft skin in her hands. Stepping away, she looked towards the looming castle. She had no idea what time it was. And she had to get back to the dormitory to collect her things before she was sent home.

"At least say it," Sirius angrily said.

Along with the anger, though, Sirius sounded tired.

"Say what?"

"That you love me. At least tell me that."

His voice was getting sadder every time that he spoke. It was as though he was just realizing that she wasn't going to marry him, that she wasn't going to change her mind.

"Sirius…"

"Ginny, tell me the truth. If you love me, say it."

He was beautiful, really. But it was hard, hard for her to say words she had never spoken to anyone romantically. The whole time she was with the Marauders, with Sirius, she had been battling what was right and what was wrong. It was wrong for her to like Sirius, to spend time with him because she liked the way he looked at her and spoke to her and treated her, when she knew Harry was at home.

She had pushed Sirius away, had trampled on his heart, and he still stood in front of her, fighting for her. If she was the most stubborn person in the world, Sirius had to be a close second. But that was the only reason anything had developed between them. While Sirius had been looking for anything but a serious relationship, he stumbled upon Ginny, who wanted nothing from him at all. And he liked the lack of responsibility that came with being around Ginny. So even though she made him hate her sometimes, he still loved her. Because she never expected anything from him and she was one of the few.

And while Ginny battled out of her feelings of being lost in a time that was not her own, Sirius had stepped up to protect her. There was Remus and James in her life also, along with Severus, but Sirius was the only one who marked her as his own. He made it a habit of stumbling upon her when she didn't want to be found, of pushing her buttons at the wrong moment just because it was the wrong moment and nobody else would do it. He pushed her because he knew she was so much more than she showed him.

Even though she had thought to herself that she loved Sirius only days ago, that there was something there that she hadn't felt before, she hadn't realized the depth of it until she watched him stand across from her now. When Ginny had decided she would go to the Veil and rescue Sirius, it wasn't something she thought twice on. She knew that he had to be in her life, that he couldn't not be in her life when he brought so many things to her attention that she had never seen before.

Maybe it was when he had first drunkenly told her that he loved her when it happened. When it clicked that there was so much more to their untitled relationship. Or, perhaps, it was when Ginny had returned to Hogwarts after Christmas break, beaten and tired. All she had wanted was to see Sirius, it was the only thing that needed to happen in order for everything to be okay. She could still remember when she first saw him, the way her heart felt ready to explode and she had wanted to cry yet laugh because there he was. The one person she needed.

Time was running out and she needed to leave but not before he knew what she felt. Because it was right now that she realized it. Yet, somehow, Sirius had known it all along.

"I love you," Ginny whispered slowly, savoring the way the words tasted.

And the words sounded so natural, so honest, coming from her mouth and being directed to him. Sirius gave her a half smile.

"I've been waiting a while for that."

Her heart clenched and Ginny bent down to pick up her broom, which she hadn't realized she had thrown when she first saw him. Sirius watched her with heavy eyes and Ginny didn't know what to do. She had to leave.

"There is an option, though," Sirius spoke up to have his voice heard over the breeze.

Ginny watched him, her heart aching.

"What option?" her voice hitched.

"You always have a choice, love. You always get to choose. You have the choice of leaving, of doing the easy thing and not knowing what could come between us. You would do what is expected of you… Or you have the choice of staying, not listening to your aunt and everyone else and staying with _me._ And staying with Remus and James and Lily and Peter. We're your family. And to hell with everything else. We will take care of you. You can stay and deal with the issues later. But you have the choice. Don't make it seem like you have no options."

And he was right, of course. She could stay and just travel back later. Ginny could stay with Sirius and have a life with him and travel back to her time whenever she wanted to. It was a nice thought. But that wasn't what needed to be done. She needed to get home because she wouldn't be able to live with Sirius, to be herself around him, until she was back home.

"I can't, Sirius," she whispered, holding her broom to her chest. "I just can't. I'm so sorry."

The confidence that was so Sirius, that made Sirius so gorgeous and brilliant, seemed to falter before her very eyes. It was a confidence that Ginny would rarely see back in her time, after he escaped from Azkaban and was stuck in Grimmauld Place. She hated that she was making it disappear now.

"Just so you know," Sirius said, after a long moment, his usual smooth talking voice coming back. He walked up to her and took her lightly by the waist, tugging her body close to his. "I'm still pissed about you kissing that slime ball. You know better than that. And I hate the way you ignore me and that you're going with your aunt when I can see that you want to stay with me. But I know… I know you'll find your way back to me."

And he kissed her again.

It was hard to leave Sirius, to turn her back to him and run back to the castle. Despite their deep talk, he didn't seem to realize that she was leaving now, that the last thing he saw of her would be her running away from him. She stopped before she entered the castle and turned to look back at him. He was still in the same spot, hands in his pockets, watching her.

Even though there was a distance between them, she knew he was still watching her.

She entered the castle and bolted towards the Great Hall. Students were beginning to enter it, meaning that lunch would begin soon. It was time to leave. Ginny ran a hand through her hair, collecting her thoughts. Months ago all she had wanted to do was go home but now, now that the time had come, she found it was hard to move.

Ginny had to move though. She had to keep going. Dumbledore warned her that she could not be weak right now, that she could not leave this time emotionally and physically weak. So she had to prep herself. After saying goodbye to Sirius, there was a burning in her stomach, but she had a feeling that wouldn't go away till she saw him again. At least Remus and her had ended well and she knew he would be the first person she saw when she got home.

James, however, she had not been able to mend things with. Even Lily had not received a proper goodbye, and the thought caused her to frown. She looked at the giant clock in the hall. There were minutes to spare before she was expected in Dumbledore's office. Ginny didn't need her things from her dormitory, Dumbledore could figure out how to dispose of those properly.

She needed to find James and Lily and say her last goodbye.

Ginny darted up the stairs. They had to be in the Gryffindor common room, or on their way to lunch. The route from the Gryffindor tower to the Great Hall was very familiar to Ginny and she knew it was likely that she could find them if she followed it. And she was right. After making a sharp turn, running like there was a Deatheater behind her, she saw them walking down the corridor towards her.

James had his arm wrapped lazily around Lily's shoulder, hugging her body to his, as he told some story to her loudly. She was watching him with a small smirk on her face, looking like she wanted to roll her eyes at his exaggerations. Neither of them noticed her right away, even as she ran up to them. It was actually the boy behind them, with his light blonde hair and squinty eyes, that noticed her.

"Hey Ginny!" Peter called, waving to her.

James and Lily looked at her, surprised. Face flushing, James let go of Lily and stepped up to Ginny.

"Ginny, I am so-"

Ginny waved a hand at him impatiently, cutting him off.

"Don't apologize to me, not about that," she told him, out of breath. "I can't be mad at you for doing what was right."

Lily sent Ginny a smile at her words.

"Oh," James slowly responded, his eyebrows furrowing. "Well that's very mature of you."

Unable to help it, Ginny grinned at James' astonishment.

"Don't act so surprised," Ginny told him.

Peter stepped up to Ginny, nervously clasping a hand on her shoulder. She had never realized before that they were the same height and that Peter's eyes were so clear, so light. He was still so young.

"I heard you're leaving," Peter began, somewhat nervously. "Sorry 'bout that. It's not going to be the same without you."

Ginny looked at Peter, who would one day ruin the lives of everyone she cared for, and hugged him. Whatever happened to him between now and two years from now would be life changing and she had a feeling that if he had known love was stronger than the desire for power, that the protection from his friends should mean more than the protection of Voldemort, he would never do what was to come.

"Thank you, Peter," Ginny whispered in his ear.

"Oh, Scabbers," James cooed. "Have a soft side, do you?"

Lily smacked James' arm.

"I have to go, I just wanted to say… I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," Ginny explained.

"Everything is fine," Lily reassured her, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Ginny, my dear." James walked up to Ginny and hugged her tightly.

She leaned her head against his chest, absorbing the warmth that came from James, and closed her eyes tightly so that she didn't cry.

"You look beautiful today," he whispered into her hair. "Thank you for everything."

Ginny nodded against his chest.

"And for still being my friend despite me being a complete git."

Laughing, Ginny stepped away from James. Staring down at her, James didn't think twice before pressing a kiss to forehead. It was such a brotherly act, filled with love, that Ginny couldn't speak for a second. He had kissed her forehead many times before but it had never meant as much as it did now.

"We'll have breakfast soon," James promised, taking Lily's hand. "And we'll talk about you leaving and how to fix it. I told Sirius about this law-"

"He told me about it," Ginny said, cutting him off.

"Oh! So you saw him today? And since you don't look murderous or extremely upset, I'll assume the talk went… well?"

Ginny grinned slightly.

"As good as it could have gone."

James nodded, sending her a small smile.

"Meet us outside later, we're going to be playing chess," James told her.

Peter had already made his way down the corridor, mumbling about being hungry. Lily gave a small tug to James' hand and he nodded to Ginny.

"Okay? You'll meet us later?"

Unable to say anything, Ginny just smiled at him.

As they walked away, Ginny remained where she was. This would be the last time she saw Lily or James. And it left a good feeling in her heart as she watched Lily kiss James, laughing when he said something a second after. The trio had almost made it down the corridor, about to turn the corner, when James suddenly stopped.

Ginny watched, surprised, as James ran back to her. He hugged her again and, leaning his lips close to her ear, whispered to her.

"By the way… I think you and Sirius are perfect for each other. Don't forget it, no matter what other people say. Because people have a habit of being gits like me when they see two people they care about in love and ignorant of it."

Ginny arrived at Dumbledore's office and was motioned in. Taking the familiar seat across from his desk, Ginny patiently waited as Dumbledore paced in front of his fireplace. Then, after excusing himself, Dumbledore went into a back room. Left alone in the huge office, Ginny stood from her seat and went to the window. It was surreal, what was going on.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny leaned against the large window. The weather was still perfect outside and it seemed like the majority of the students were enjoying their free time. Pressing her fingertips against the window panel, Ginny wondered if her Hufflepuff friends and the Marauders were outside together.

Those two groups of friends were so important to her, and in completely different ways, yet they knew hardly anything about each other. One day soon, though, they would be fighting on the same team for their lives. Ginny's eyes flickered away from the window. She was leaving her friends to defend for themselves in a world that most wouldn't survive. But everything that was going to happen needed to happen because, if it didn't, most of the people she loved in her time probably wouldn't be alive.

It was a thought Ginny kept repeating in her head as she waited for Dumbledore.

Finally, after she had lulled by the window long enough, Dumbledore came back into the office. In his hands the Time Turner was held. His long fingers delicately held the long chain and he automatically went to give it to Ginny. She took it gingerly, surprised by the heaviness of it. This Time Turner was quite the burden in her life.

"You're probably the bravest girl I have come across, Miss Stiles, in my time here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore admitted as he stood beside her.

Ginny looked up at her Headmaster with watery eyes, unable to give him the shaky smile he deserved. The worst part about going home, other than the loss of James and Lily and her other friends, was that Dumbledore wouldn't be there. He was the symbol of freedom and strength in her time. And yet he was dead.

"You have a lot of people to meet still," Ginny responded lightly.

Dumbledore smiled down at her, his glasses slipping down his crooked nose.

"I do wish there was more I could say to you, that there was some true comfort behind my words… but even I don't know what you're about to go face. I just hope that you manage to find your way through it… that you don't lose the light the burns so brightly in your eyes."

There was a pause and Ginny swallowed hard.

"You love your friends here, that much is obvious," Dumbledore continued. "And I will do my best to help ease their pain once you leave."

Without a second thought, Ginny threw her arms around Dumbledore. The old man accepted her hug gratefully, covering the majority of her body with his long cloak.

"It's time."

Stepping away from each other, Dumbledore handed Ginny her broom. He gave her a small smile when he saw her bottom lip tremble.

"This is hard," she admitted, her voice tight.

Dumbledore nodded.

"I know," he responded. Then, "Do you have a date picked to go back?"

Ginny took a deep breath, her body feeling light, before she nodded.

"Yeah."

"The larger hand will direct you to how many years you would like to travel. If it is into the past, you will push it backwards… if it into the future, then it is clockwise. Each click of the large hand is a year. The smaller hand is months. We are currently in the first month of the year, which is why the smaller hand is at the top of the Time Turner. Each time you click, it is a month. Then last is the specific day. That is required by this, here," Dumbledore pointed to a dial on the Time Turner that Ginny had never noticed before. "Put the number of the day you want to return in the dial."

Ginny had never stared at the Time Turner so intently before. McGonagall had previously been the one who had picked the date for the Time Turner, who had dealt with all this knowledge. As if hearing the question in her head, Dumbledore bowed his head slightly.

"It will do you no good if I see the date you are to return to… for if someone were to get the information from me it would put you at risk. Do you understand?"

Ginny nodded.

"I do have one request," Ginny told him. "When you said I must arrive somewhere safe…"

Dumbledore waited for her to continue.

"I would like to go to the Defense Against the Dark Arts room."

His eyebrows perked in slight interest and he stared at her for a long moment before seeing that she was serious.

"It will be safe for you to arrive there versus the Headmaster's office?"

"Yes. Much safer."

Dumbledore didn't question that. He took a hold of Ginny's broom so that she had the complete duty of holding the Time Turner. Then he led her through the halls of Hogwarts. Somehow Dumbledore had taken the route with the least students, though Ginny didn't know whether this was because of the nice weather and everyone being outside or if Dumbledore had some secret knowledge of the school because he was Headmaster.

He led her into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, closing the door quietly behind them. The professor wasn't in the classroom and Ginny glanced around. In just a few minutes, this whole room would be decorated completely different.

"Can we go in the office?"

Once again, Dumbledore didn't question her. He led her up into the professor's office and, with shaking hands, Ginny took her broom back. Then Dumbledore reached into his cloak and pulled out the heavy book that caused this all. She took it slowly, as if afraid to touch it, and she felt a spark of electricity go through her fingers at the contact. Her mouth went dry and her heart began to race.

"This is really it, isn't it?" Ginny asked Dumbledore.

He didn't respond, instead just watched her with his sad eyes. She had never thought this day would come. After spending months in this time, in 1978, Ginny had never thought the day would come when she would finally return home. Instead of pleasure, though, she felt nauseous. She didn't know what she was going to find when she finally arrived home, she didn't know what battles had occurred and who might have died.

Worst of all, she didn't know if she would definitely get Sirius back.

"Take care of them," Ginny said when she gathered her strength, thinking of her friends.

She nervously bit the bottom of her lip as she wrapped the chain of the Time Turner around her neck. Dumbledore nodded.

"Of course."

She moved the large hand on the clock. Then she moved the small hand. Finally, she pressed the numbers in the dial. Looking up at Dumbledore, Ginny gave him one last, grand smile.

"Thank you."

The last thing she saw was him offering her a smile of comfort before her vision began to twist and turn. Clutching onto her broomstick and the book, Ginny closed her eyes tightly but it did not help with the sudden shift. Her body seemed to be flying through the air, her hair whipping rapidly at her face, and she thought to herself _This isn't much worse than the first time_ right before a sudden pressure squeezed her body.

She gasped, her eyes popping open, as the pressure intensified. A feeling of nausea washed over her and she was screaming from the pain but her screams were silent, as if time stole them from her. Ginny's body was rocked once, then twice, by pure magic. Her skin felt like it was being ripped off her body, that her bones were popping out of place.

Nothing had ever felt this painful before and nothing would surely feel this painful again.

Ginny began gasping for air, as her sight clouded. But she couldn't breathe and she felt something dripping out of her nose, blood?, and the panic was beginning to set in as she realized she could die if this didn't end soon. Her eyes rolled into the back of her head just as her body slammed onto the ground, her legs crumbling from underneath her.

Her head hit the stone floor hard and her body sagged.

Her body pulsed, as if another wave of magic hit it, and Ginny opened her eyes slowly. Everything hurt and there was a pool of blood forming at her head. Ginny tried to lift her head up, to get herself out of the mess, but found she could hardly move her body even if she wanted to. A wave of nausea hit her and she didn't have the strength to not throw up.

Twitching, Ginny felt a cold sweat break out across her body. Her broom lay feet away from her but that was the only thing she could see. Was she even holding the book still? Where was Remus? Why wouldn't he be in his office?

All Ginny could hear was the beating of her own heart. And it was slowing. The thought was terrifying but, at the same time, she couldn't do much about it.

"Give me a moment," A voice called.

Ginny couldn't see where the voice came from but it sounded like it wasn't in the same room as her. The room swayed before her very eyes.

There was the sound of a door opening, cautiously, and then a startled gasp.

"Ginny!"

It was horrible the way her name sounded coming from the person. It was tortured and sickened and worried. Then she felt hands on her face and she wanted to frown, because she didn't remember closing her eyes to begin with.

"Ginny! Ginny, wake up!"

A scattering of feet was heard then suddenly the tone of the person's voice changed.

"Get the Headmistress! Now! Get the nurse! And get out of here!"

Ginny opened her eyes and felt like it cost her all of her energy.

"Ginny, oh god, Ginny."

It was Remus. He had found her. Cradling her body like she was a child, Ginny could see the hysteria on his face. She could see that her blood was staining his light clothing and, despite her pain, she felt bad. After all, Remus didn't have a lot of money.

"Just hang on, just hang on, they'll be here soon."

He looked so old, so different, from what she remembered. Her body twitched in her arms and Remus tensed.

"You'll be okay," he told her, his voice laced with worry.

Ginny decided it didn't matter. It hurt too much and… Her eyes suddenly felt too heavy to keep open. A small smile came to her lips and Remus' frown deepened.

"Remus," she whispered before her eyes rolled into the back of her head.

Everything hurt. Ginny's eyes snapped open as a wave of pain crashed over her and she gasped. The sound echoed in the room and she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights. She was tucked into a bed and she squirmed, curling into a ball as another wave of pain hit her.

"Ginny!"

She could barely hear Remus despite the high volume of his voice. Ginny could feel his presence, though, and gladly accepted the drink he gave her.

"It will help relieve the pain," he promised.

The effect was almost immediate. Ginny's muscles relaxed and she felt less dizzy. She remained in a ball until she could control her breathing, though. Finally, she lifted her head to look Remus in the eye.

He was staring at her with large eyes. And she was crying before she could help herself, though she wasn't sure if it was from the medicine or the pain or leaving her friends or the fact that she was definitely home. Because Remus now looked old, with wrinkles in the corners of his eyes. His hair was graying and that wasn't right because his hair use to be a light brown, highlighted by some blonde strands.

There were new scars on his face that weren't there before and this wasn't right because he just looked so tired and so old from when Ginny had left him. She was hysterical, unable to breathe, as Remus reached out for her.

"It's okay, it's okay."

He climbed onto the bed with her and she pushed him away. But he wasn't having it.

Her eyes darted around the Hospital Wing, her breathing quickening, her face blotchy from crying. She looked up at Remus desperately, praying that his appearance would change in front of her.

Because if it didn't change, if he still looked old and worn and just so much less alive than when she left him, it meant she did leave all of her friends. It meant that James and Lily were dead, that Peter was a traitor, that Marlene and Amelia had been killed years ago. It meant that Severus had killed Dumbledore and that Sirius was stuck behind the Veil.

She screamed as Remus wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his body, as if protecting her from herself.

How could she have left? How could she have just left and let it be that simple? She had to go back, she had to see Sirius one last time, she had to tell James and Lily that she loved them, that Peter was going to trick them all, that Voldemort was going to come looking for them one Halloween night.

Twisting in Remus' arms, she tried to escape the embrace. Because if she could escape she could go back and change everything. She didn't need to be here in her time if she could go back.

"I'm still Remus," Remus whispered to her as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I'm still your Remus."

His words broke through her screaming, somehow, and she stopped struggling. The fighting had worn her out and her body sagged against his. He didn't release her, though, and eventually she fell asleep without another word.

The next time Ginny woke up, and she didn't know if it was hours later or days later or even seconds later, Remus was sitting in a chair next to her bed. He was sipping a cup of tea, reading a book. She shifted in her bed and his eyes flickered to her right away.

"Hey," he mumbled, his eyes not leaving hers.

She found it hard to look at Remus when she felt he looked so wrong. He should not look so defeated, so old.

"Hi," she whispered back.

Remus marked his book and put it on the table next to her bed. She watched the actions warily, so exhausted.

"Do you feel better?"

He waited patiently for her answer as she struggled to find the right words.

"No."

Remus didn't react to her harsh voice. Instead he sighed and put the cup of tea next to the book.

"Your family will be arriving in the next couple of weeks," he told her. "I'm sure you'll be excited to see them. Harry, Hermione and Ron will probably be here within the next month."

She didn't respond to his words. With another soft sigh, Remus stood from his seat. He went to walk around her bed and her eyes widened when she saw he was heading to the Hospital Wing door.

"Wait! Remus!" Her voice cracked and he turned around sharply, his eyes wide. "Where are you going?"

"I have to let someone know you're awake, that you're coherent-"

"Don't leave me! Remus, don't leave me, you can't leave me right now!"

Her voice broke and she felt her breathing quicken again. Ginny didn't realize that Remus had rushed back to her, climbing into the bed once again, holding her body to his.

"It's all right, Ginny. It's all over. You're home."

Ginny shivered against his body, trying to calm her breathing.

"It's not over, Remus," she finally responded.

Remus didn't ask what she meant and Ginny didn't bother to answer his silent question. She held a hand to her chest, trying to slow her racing heart, and had the other clutched in Remus' shirt.

An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness washed over Ginny and she closed her eyes. There was no Sirius here to comfort her, to tell her he loved her. All she had was Remus, who brushed some of the hair from her forehead and pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Just rest," Remus told her. "You'll feel better and be thinking more clearly in the morning…"

His voice hitched.

"It's so good to see you again."

Author's Note: So… I sort of lied to you guys. I have to, _have to¸_ write a sequel to this story. There is no way I can finish something as important as Ginny's journey to rescue Sirius in one chapter. No worries, the first chapter will be up very shortly and will be followed quickly by the rest of the chapters. Thank you so much for following this story with me as long as you have, especially since it took me years to get to this point.

Look for the next installment, **Look After You**, in my profile.


End file.
